Therapeutic group psychoeducation and relaxation in treating fear of childbirth
- 1 November 2006
- journal article
- clinical trial
- Published by Wiley in Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica
- Vol. 85 (11), 1315-1319
- https://doi.org/10.1080/00016340600756920
Abstract
Background. The increase in the numbers of women fearing childbirth and requesting cesarean sections call for new forms of antenatal treatment. Methods. Finnish nulliparous women experiencing severe fear of childbirth (experimental group, n = 102) attended 5 group sessions with a psychologist, once together with a midwife, during the third trimester. One session was held 3 months after the delivery. Each session consisted of a discussion of fear and feelings towards the impending birth and parenthood in a psychotherapeutic atmosphere and of relaxation exercises focused on an imaginary childbirth. The results were compared with those of 85 women treated for fear of childbirth by 2 appointments with an obstetrician (conventional treatment). Results. Before the sessions, among the women in the experimental group, scored fear of childbirth, on a scale of one to ten, was 6.9±2.0 (SD), which is similar to the score of those receiving conventional treatment (6.0±1.6). After the sessions, 84 women in the experimental group (82.4%) and 57 in the conventional treatment group (67.1%) chose to have a vaginal delivery (p = 0.02). The women in the experimental treatment group rated the helpfulness of the sessions 8.5±1.6 on a scale where 10 was maximum help and 1 no help at all, and mentioned “sharing their feelings” twice as often as “receiving information” as the most helpful factor in relieving fear. Conclusions. Group psychoeducation and relaxation exercises were well received and rated as very helpful. More cesarean section requests were withdrawn than in the comparison group and in previous studies.Keywords
This publication has 30 references indexed in Scilit:
- Effectiveness of psychosocial group intervention for reducing anxiety in women undergoing in vitro fertilization: a randomized controlled studyFertility and Sterility, 2006
- Experiences of Fears Associated with Pregnancy and Childbirth: A Study of 329 Pregnant WomenBirth, 2002
- Tokophobia: An unreasoning dread of childbirthThe British Journal of Psychiatry, 2000
- Factors associated with fear of delivery in second pregnancies1, *1Obstetrics & Gynecology, 1999
- Treatment Strategies for Anxiety, Stress, and Developmental Conflict during ReproductionBehavioral Medicine, 1995
- Investigation of 33 women who demanded a cesarean section for personal reasonsActa Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, 1993
- Patients' expectation and caesarean section rateThe Lancet, 1993
- Randomised trial of self hypnosis for analgesia in labour.BMJ, 1986
- Anxiety as a Potential Factor Affecting Maternal AttachmentJOGN Nursing, 1981
- Reduction of pain in childbirth by the alleviation of anxiety during pregnancy.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1975