Background: Lack of knowledge and fear of the unknown during pregnancy and childbirth make mothers fearful, worried, and anxious. Maternal fear and anxiety can lead to problems such as preterm childbirth and low birth weight. Increasing women's knowledge through prenatal education can prepare them for childbirth and improve their health. The present study was conducted to compare fear of childbirth, anxiety and depression during pregnancy in three groups of primiparous pregnant women who were either not attending, irregularly attending, or regularly attending childbirth preparation classes. Methods: A total of 204 primiparous pregnant women attending health centers in Tabriz, Iran, were selected by cluster sampling and assigned to the following three groups: Not attending, irregularly attending (attending one to three sessions of classes) and regularly attending (attending four to eight sessions of classes). Childbirth fear, pregnancy anxiety and depression questionnaires were completed for them through interviews. The general linear model was used to compare their fear of childbirth and prenatal anxiety and depression. Results: According to the general linear model, the scores of fear of childbirth (p < 0.001), anxiety (p < 0.001) and depression (p = 0.006) were significantly lower in the group of pregnant women regularly attending the classes compared to the non-attending group of women. No significant differences were observed between the regularlyattending and irregularly-attending groups in terms of fear of childbirth (p = 0.066), anxiety (p = 0.078), and depression (p = 0.128). Conclusion: Prenatal training can reduce fear, anxiety and depression in primiparous women. Incorporating such training into prenatal care helps improve maternal health.
Background Assessment of women’s childbirth experience is an important indicator of maternal care systems. Positive childbirth experiences improve mothers’ health, whereas negative childbirth experiences can cause psychological stresses and, in extreme cases, may lead to postpartum depression. This study compared childbirth experiences and postpartum depression levels in three groups of primiparous women with no participation, irregular participation, and regular participation in childbirth preparation classes. Methods In this cohort study, 204 primiparous women at 35-37 weeks of gestation were selected using cluster sampling from the health centers of Tabriz, Iran. The participants were assigned to three groups of no participation, irregular participation (attending 1-3 sessions), and regular participation (attending 4-8 sessions) in childbirth preparation classes. Interviews were conducted one month after delivery to complete the Childbirth Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). The general linear model (GLM) was used to compare childbirth experience and postpartum depression among groups. Results Based on the general linear model, the mean score of childbirth experience in women in the regular participation group was significantly higher than those of women in irregular participation (P= 0.032) and in no participation (P<0.001) groups. In addition, the mean score of postpartum depression was significantly lower in women in the regular participation group than that of the women in the no participation group (P<0.001). However, no significant difference was found between the regular and irregular participation groups in terms of postpartum depression levels (P= 0.257). Conclusion Prenatal training classes improved childbirth experience and reduced postpartum depression levels. These training classes seem to improve mothers’ health by increasing their knowledge and awareness of their abilities to endure labor pain. Ethical Code IR.TBZMED.REC.1398.066
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