Development of Birth Perception Scale and Educational Intervention

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Fear of Childbirth

• Registration Number: NCT07188883
• Lead Sponsor: Ege University

Brief Summary

This study was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, a psychometric instrument was developed and validated to measure women's perceptions of childbirth. The scale demonstrated strong reliability and validity indicators through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses.

In the second phase, a randomized controlled trial was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured online education program on pregnant women's childbirth-related outcomes. A total of 80 pregnant women were recruited and randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n=40), which received a 9-hour online childbirth education program, or the control group (n=40), which received routine antenatal care.

The primary outcomes were childbirth perception, fear of childbirth, and readiness for birth, assessed at baseline and post-intervention using validated instruments. The results showed that the online education program significantly improved childbirth perception and readiness for birth while reducing fear of childbirth compared to the control group.

This trial provides evidence for the effectiveness of online antenatal education in promoting a positive childbirth experience and may contribute to improving maternal health outcomes in line with international recommendations for respectful maternity care.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2024-01-01
• Primary Completion: 2024-09-01
• Status Verified: 2025-09
• Study Completion: 2025-09-03
• Study First Submitted: 2025-09-16
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-09-16
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-09-16
• Study First Posted: 2025-09-23
• Last Update Posted: 2025-09-23

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: Female
• Target Recruitment: 80

Inclusion Criteria

• Pregnant women aged 18 years or older
• Gestational age between 20-34 weeks at the time of enrollment
• Ability to read and understand Turkish
• Access to the internet and a device (computer, tablet, or smartphone) to attend online sessions
• Willingness to participate in a 9-hour online childbirth education program
• Provided written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

• High-risk pregnancy requiring specialized medical care (e.g., preeclampsia, placenta previa, multiple gestation with complications)
• Known psychiatric disorders that could interfere with participation (e.g., severe anxiety disorder, major depression, psychosis)
• Inability to attend online sessions due to technical or personal limitations
• Previous participation in a structured childbirth education program during the current pregnancy
• Refusal or withdrawal of informed consent

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Childbirth Perception Score	Measured by the validated Childbirth Perception Scale at baseline (before intervention) and 4 weeks after the intervention.
Fear of Childbirth Score	Measured by the Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire (W-DEQ) at baseline and 4 weeks after the intervention.
Readiness for Birth Scor	Measured by the Childbirth Readiness Scale at baseline and 4 weeks after the intervention.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Ege University Faculty of Nursing; Izmir, Turkey (Türkiye)