Effect of antenatal class attendance on fear of childbirth and antenatal stress

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To assess the effect of attending antenatal classes on fear of childbirth and antenatal stress in nulliparous pregnant women. METHODS A total of 133 nulliparous pregnant women participated in the study, which had a quasi-experimental design. Data were collected by a descriptive data form, the Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire, and the Antenatal Perceived Stress Inventory (APSI). RESULTS A significant correlation was found between antenatal class attendance and having a high schooling level and an intended pregnancy (p < 0.05). The mean fear of childbirth score of pregnant women was 85.50 ± 19.41 before the training and 76.32 ± 20.52 after the training, and the difference between these scores was significant (p < 0.01). Fear of childbirth score were not significantly different between the intervention group and the control group. The mean APSI score of pregnant women in the intervention group was 22.32 ± 6.12 before the training and 21.79 ± 5.97 after the training. However, this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.70). CONCLUSION The fear of childbirth score decreased significantly in the intervention group after the training.

Effect of antenatal education on knowledge and utilization of facility-based delivery services among pregnant women in two health institutions in Alimosho, Lagos state

Background: Facility-based delivery care is an essential component of maternity care. Overtime, its under-utilization despite improvement in antenatal attendance has become a public health concern in Nigeria. To assess the effect of antenatal education on the knowledge and utilization of facility-based delivery services among pregnant women in primary health facilities in Alimosho, Lagos.Methods: Quasi-experimental design of 2 groups pre- and post-intervention was adopted and through multi-staged sampling techniques, 128 participants were selected but 117 completed the study. Self-developed structured questionnaire with reliability index of 0.76 was used for data collection. The intervention package was antenatal education package on benefits and components of delivery services. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23 statistical package.Results: The mean age of participants in control and experimental groups was 32.3±9.60 and 34.7±8.21 years respectively. Findings revealed moderate knowledge mean score (control- 54.97±10.52; experimental-52.14±11.09) and low pre-intervention utilization mean score (control 13.33±3.41; experimental-13.17±4.21). Findings also showed significant improvement on post-intervention mean knowledge score of 52.14±11.09 versus 104.75±5.56 and a significant difference in post-intervention utilization (p=0.000) and follow-up (p=0.013) on the experimental group.Conclusions: The study concluded that the antenatal education programme had positive effect on the pregnant women’s knowledge and utilization of health facility delivery services, therefore, there is need to strengthen and intensify antenatal education at all levels of healthcare using appropriate teaching techniques.

Empowering adolescent mothers in the choice of contraceptive methods at the postpartum period: avoiding a subsequent pregnancy / Empoderando mães adolescentes na escolha do método contraceptivo no pós-parto: Evitando-se a gravidez subsequente

Abstract Objective Almost 80% of adolescent pregnancies are unplanned, and between 28 and 63% of adolescent mothers had a repeated pregnancy within 18 months. Among girls with repeated pregnancies, two-thirds reported that the pregnancy was unplanned. We aim to assess contraceptive use by adolescent mothers with increasing choice for long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) methods in postpartum consultation after a semistructured group intervention involving adolescent mothers. Methods Retrospective observational study conducted at the Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, state of São Paulo, Brazil, involving new antenatal and postpartum education groups for adolescents. At postpartum consultations, the adolescents chose their contraceptive. The datawas compared with previous series followed in a period before the implementation of the education group - a historical control group. Results We included 129 adolescent after childbirth from January 1st, 2015 through July 31st, 2017. Out of this total, 63% had ever used contraceptive methods before pregnancy, and the most frequent method was combined oral contraceptives (33%) followed by condoms (21%). At the first postpartum consultation, the most common contraceptive chosen was intrauterine contraception (IUC) (37.2%) and depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) (34.1%).When comparing the rates before and after the education interventions, there was a 3-fold increase in the use of IUCs. Conclusion Antenatal and postpartum education have shown a significant increase in the choice for LARC methods among adolescent mothers, with very high acceptability after a period using the method. The educational groups performed during the antenatal care and beyond the gestational period are easy to be applied worldwide with low dependence on funding.

Resumo Objetivo Cerca de 80% das gestações na adolescência não são planejadas, e entre 28 e 63% das mães adolescentes apresentam repetição da gravidez em 18 meses. Entre as meninas com gravidez repetida, dois terços relataram que a gravidez não foi planejada. Métodos Estudo observacional retrospectivo realizado na Universidade Estadual de Campinas, São Paulo, SP, Brasil, envolvendo novos grupos de educação pré-natal e pósparto para adolescentes. Nas consultas pós-parto, os adolescentes optaram pela contracepção. Os dados foram comparados com uma série de casos seguida em um período anterior à implementação do grupo de educação pré-natal - um grupo de controle histórico. Resultados Foram incluídas 129 adolescentes no período pós-parto de 1° de janeiro de 2015 a 31 de julho de 2017. Destas, 63% já tinham usado métodos contraceptivos antes da gravidez, e o método prévio mais frequente foi contraceptivo oral combinado (33%) seguido por preservativo (21%). Na primeira consulta pós-parto, o anticoncepcional mais comumente escolhido foi o dispositivo intrauterino (DIU) (37,2%) e o acetato de medroxiprogesterona de depósito (DMPA) (34,1%). Ao comparar as taxas antes e depois das intervenções de educação pré-natal, houve um aumento de três vezes no uso de DIUs. Conclusão Educação pré-natal e pós-parto mostraram um aumento significativo na escolha de métodos contraceptivos reversíveis de longa duração entre mães adolescentes. Grupos educativos realizados durante o pré-natal e alémdo período gestacional são ferramentas para promoção da saúde e são de fácil aplicação mundial, com baixa dependência de financiamento.

Putting knowledge into practice-the challenge of acquiring healthy habits during pregnancy colocando conhecimento em prática - o desafio de adquirir hábitos saudáveis durante a gravidez

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the knowledge concerning gestational weight gain (GWG), nutrition, and physical exercise (PE) in pregnant women, and how to put them into practice. Methods A cross-sectional study with 61 pregnant women above 26 weeks of gestation, at the Woman's Hospital, CAISM, University of Campinas. Questionnaires regarding the knowledge of healthy habits (HH) during pregnancy, sociodemographic data, and previous obstetric outcomes were applied. An educational guide with advice on HH during pregnancy and in the postpartum period was offered. Results The average age of women was 28.7 ± 6.23 years, with 85% of them being married; 32% nulliparous; the average body mass index (BMI) before pregnancy was 25.4 ± 9.8 kg/m2, and themean number of years of schoolingwas 11.2 ± 3.8. Only 61%of the subjects had received any previous information about GWG during their antenatal care and were aware as to howmany pounds they should gain during pregnancy. Among the 61 women, 85% understood that they did not need to "eat for 2" and 99% knew that PE had benefits for their body and was safe for their baby. Half of the women practiced PE prior to pregnancy; however, only 31% continued the practice of PE during the pregnancy. Conclusion Despite understanding the need for HH during pregnancy, women still need encouragement to practice PE during pregnancy, as well as more information about GWG.

Resumo Objetivo O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar os conhecimentos sobre ganho de peso gestacional (GPG), nutrição, e exercício físico (EF) em gestantes e o quanto elas os colocam em prática. Métodos Estudo transversal realizado no Hospital da Mulher, CAISM, Unicamp, com 61 gestantes acima das 26 semanas gestacionais. Questionários sobre conhecimento de hábitos saudáveis (HS) durante a gestação, dados sociodemográficos, e antecedentes obstétricos foram aplicados. Um guia educacional com conselhos sobre HS durante a gravidez e período pós-parto foi oferecido. Resultados A idade média das mulheres foi de 28,7 ± 6,23 anos, sendo 85% casadas, 32% nulíparas, o índice de massa corporal (IMC) médio antes da gestação foi de 25,4 ± 9,8 kg/m2, e amédia de anos de escolaridade foi de 11,2 ± 3,8. Apenas 61% das mulheres entrevistadas haviam recebido informações prévias sobre o GPG durante o pré-natal e sabiam quantos quilos deveriam ganhar durante a gravidez. Entre as mulheres, 85% sabiam que não precisavam "comer por dois," e 99% sabiam que o EF tinha benefícios para seu corpo e era seguro para seu bebê. Metade das mulheres praticava EF antes da gravidez, mas apenas 31% continuaram praticando durante a gravidez. Conclusão Apesar de compreender a necessidade de HS durante a gravidez, as mulheres ainda precisam de incentivo para praticar EF durante a gravidez, bem como mais informações sobre o GPG.

Developing strategies to be added to the protocol for antenatal care: An exercise and birth preparation program

OBJECTIVES: To describe the implementation process of a birth preparation program, the activities in the protocol for physical and birth preparation exercises, and the educational activities that have been evaluated regarding effectiveness and women's satisfaction. The birth preparation program described was developed with the following objectives: to prevent lumbopelvic pain, urinary incontinence and anxiety; to encourage the practice of physical activity during pregnancy and of positions and exercises for non-pharmacological pain relief during labor; and to discuss information that would help women to have autonomy during labor. METHODS: The program comprised the following activities: supervised physical exercise, relaxation exercises, and educational activities (explanations of lumbopelvic pain prevention, pelvic floor function, labor and delivery, and which non-pharmacological pain relief to use during labor) provided regularly after prenatal consultations. These activities were held monthly, starting when the women joined the program at 18–24 weeks of pregnancy and continuing until 30 weeks of pregnancy, fortnightly thereafter from 31 to 36 weeks of pregnancy, and then weekly from the 37th week until delivery. Information and printed materials regarding the physical exercises to be performed at home were provided. Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT01155804. RESULTS: The program was an innovative type of intervention that systematized birth preparation activities that were organized to encompass aspects related both to pregnancy and to labor and that included physical, educational and home-based activities. CONCLUSIONS: The detailed description of the protocol used may serve as a basis for further studies and also for the implementation of birth preparation programs within the healthcare system in different settings. .