Effects of online antenatal education on worries about labour, fear of childbirth, preparedness for labour and fear of covid-19 during the covid-19 pandemic: A single-blind randomised controlled study.
Elif Uludağ, Pınar Serçekuş, Okan Vardar and 2 others
PMID 36155390WHAT IT FOUND
Among 23 first-time pregnant women assigned to online antenatal education and 21 controls, the combined childbirth, coping, breathing/relaxation and COVID-19 education was followed by less labour worry, less fear of birth, less COVID-19 fear and greater labour preparedness.
Key findings
01In the final analysed groups, 23 women receiving online antenatal education reported less worry about labour, less fear of birth and less fear of COVID-19 than 21 women receiving routine prenatal care only.
02The online education group also reported greater preparedness for labour and more positive feelings about their own and their baby's wellbeing than controls.
03Post-test average scores were 27.26 in the online group and 21.23 in controls on labour worries, where higher means less worry. Fear-of-birth scores were 4.45 and 6.50, fear-of-COVID-19 scores 16.34 and 20.00, preparedness scores 16.86 and 23.95, and wellbeing scores 17.73 and 23.09, with lower preparedness and wellbeing scores meaning better adaptation.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The analysed groups were only 23 women in the online education group and 21 women in the control group. The study included only low-risk first-time pregnant women aged 18 or more at 24–34 weeks gestation who could use Microsoft Teams, so it may not apply to higher-risk pregnancies, later parities, other settings or people without reliable technology access. Outcomes were measured immediately after the education, within 24 hours, so it is unknown whether changes persisted until labour or after birth. Researchers could not be blinded to group assignment. Missing post-test data were filled using the last observation, which can affect the estimated results. The intervention combined several components, including childbirth information, coping strategies, breathing and relaxation exercises, and COVID-19 education, so the contribution of any single component cannot be separated. The paper does not state a single primary outcome, and several outcomes were examined.
Declared interests
The research received no specific grant, and the authors declared no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that any one element of the online education caused the improvement, or that it works for all pregnant women or lasts until birth. The programme combined childbirth information, coping strategies, breathing and relaxation exercises, and COVID-19 education, was tested only in low-risk first-time women who could use the internet, and measured outcomes immediately after the course.