Clinical trial NCT06929975: The Effect of Podcast Training on Birth Fear in Couples
Official title: The Effect of Podcast Training on Birth Fear in Couples: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION
Phase: NA
Conditions: Pregnancy
Birth Fear
Keywords: birth fear
pregnancy
podcast
Lead sponsor: Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2025-04-16
Enrollment: 50
Sex: FEMALE
Minimum age (years): 19
Maximum age (years): 35
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: Birth fear refers to intense feelings of anxiety, fear, and worry regarding the childbirth process, often arising from concerns about physical pain, complications, or uncertainty about the baby's health. Many women experience this fear during pregnancy, which, in some cases, may develop into a clinical condition known as tokophobia . Birth fear can increase stress levels, disrupting the mother's hormonal balance, which may prolong labor, increase the risk of complications, and negatively impact fetal development. Additionally, it can lead to issues such as loss of self-confidence, anxiety, and depression in the mother, while causing communication problems and lack of support between partners. Birth fear affects not only the labor process but also the postpartum period, potentially leading to postpartum depression, trauma, and difficulties in mother-infant bonding. All these factors can adversely impact the psychosocial well-being of both women and couples. Therefore, it is crucial to develop interventions aimed at recognizing and reducing birth fear.

Detailed description: Podcasts, with their accessibility, low cost, and user-friendly structure, allow individuals to access health-related information more easily and personalize the educational process, making it more effective. These factors make podcasts a valuable tool, especially in areas that require emotional and cognitive intervention, such as birth fear. While birth fear is a significant psychological factor influencing the anxiety of women and their partners regarding the childbirth process, there are limited intervention-focused studies targeting couples in this area. Although various methods have been proposed in the literature to reduce birth fear, data on the effectiveness of digital educational tools like podcasts in this domain is insufficient. This research aims to fill an important gap by evaluating the effect of a podcast series on birth fear in couples. The purpose of this study is to examine how a podcast series focused on birth fear impacts birth fear, anxiety, and postpartum depression in couples.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

19-35 years old married primiparous 2nd trimester pregnant women

Exclusion Criteria:

Pregnant women with risky pregnancies illiteracy problems with internet access visual and hearing impairment

Primary outcomes:
measure: Wijma Delivery Expectancy Questionnaire (W-DEQ)
timeFrame: 8 month
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Tilburg Pregnancy Distress Scale:
timeFrame: 8 month
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Ağrı
country: Turkey
facility: Ağrı Training and Research Hospital
Study officials:
References:
citation: Cai F, McCabe M, Srinivas SK. A randomized trial assessing the impact of educational podcasts on personal control and satisfaction during childbirth. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2023 May;228(5):592.e1-592.e10. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2023.01.021. Epub 2023 Feb 13.