Effects of needs-based education for prenatal anxiety in advanced multiparas: a randomized controlled trial

• Published in: BMC pregnancy and childbirth Vol. 22; no. 1; p. 301
• Main Authors: Shen, Quan, Huang, Can-Ran, Rong, Liu, Ju, Shan, Redding, Sharon R, Ouyang, Yan-Qiong, Wang, Rong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central 08-04-2022; BMC
• Subjects: advanced multiparas; Anxiety; Blood pressure; Childrens health; Counseling; Health education; Heart rate; Intervention; Maternal & child health; Needs-based education; Obstetrics; Patients; Physiology; Pregnancy; Premature birth; prenatal anxiety; Prenatal care; Prenatal education; Questionnaires; Sociodemographics; Software; Womens health; China; Japan; advanced multiparas; Needs-based education; prenatal anxiety
• ISSN: 1471-2393; 1471-2393
• DOI: 10.1186/s12884-022-04620-3

Prenatal anxiety is a common concern which may have adverse effects on maternal and infant health outcomes. Studies addressing needs-based education interventions for prenatal anxiety are limited.
To explore the effects of needs-based education on alleviating prenatal anxiety among advanced multiparas when compared with routine prenatal health education.
A total of 86 advanced multiparas were randomized into the intervention group (n = 43) or the control group (n = 43) in this study. The control group received routine prenatal care. The intervention group received five needs-based education programs presented by trained researchers. The Pregnancy-related Anxiety Questionnaire was used to evaluate changes in anxiety level of participants. Concurrent physiological parameters, including blood pressure, heart rate and non-stress test were also measured.
Scores on the Pregnancy-related Anxiety Questionnaire of the intervention group were significantly lower than those of the control group (t = 4.21, P < 0.05). Systolic blood pressure (t = 3.64, P < 0.05) and heart rate (t = 2.39, P < 0.05) of the intervention group were also significantly lower than the control group whereas no differences were noted in diastolic blood pressure and non-stress test.
A needs-based education program is an effective intervention strategy to allay prenatal anxiety in advanced multiparas.
The trial was retrospectively registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry as number ChiCTR2100047552 .