The Effect of Mindfulness-Based Web-Based Stress Reduction Program Applied to Primigravidas on Perceived Stress Level in Pregnancy, Birth Self-Efficacy and Prenatal Attachment

Pregnancy is a process in which physical and hormonal changes occur in the female body. During this period, women experience mood swings due to changes in hormonal and social roles. These changes may predispose some women to mental health problems. Due to physiological and psychological changes during pregnancy, pregnant women may experience some problems such as nausea, vomiting, fatigue, anxiety, stress and depression . It is important to show pregnant women that these are normal experiences and to adopt an accepting attitude towards these experiences.

Perceived stress during pregnancy can cause many negative effects on maternal and fetal health. Among the causes of perceived stress are being diagnosed with a risky pregnancy, the presence of danger symptoms during pregnancy, the occurrence of adverse conditions during pregnancy and uncertainties about the pregnancy process.

Birth self-efficacy is defined as the level of assurance that a mother can give birth by using her abilities successfully. Birth self-efficacy is a motivating factor for the mother to cope with childbirth. High self-efficacy can reduce fear of childbirth and lead to better birth outcomes.

Prenatal attachment is defined as the expectant mother's attachment to the fetus through her behavior during pregnancy, establishing a close relationship and interacting with it. Prenatal attachment is an important component of the concept of fetal protection with the mother's attitudes of recognizing, being with and protecting her baby. The bond between mother and fetus has a great impact on the social and emotional development of the baby. A significant part of the attachment between mother and fetus begins during pregnancy and increases within a month after birth.

Supportive interventions, when necessary, to reduce perceived stress in pregnant women are critical for the protection of women's overall health. One of the non-pharmacological interventions is a mindfulness-based stress reduction program. Due to the success of standardized mindfulness-based interventions, mindfulness-based interventions have rapidly spread in western psychology research and practice. Abdolalipour et al. In a systematic review and meta-analysis of ten studies in 2023, Abdolalipour et al. reported that mindfulness practice reduced fear of childbirth.