The Effect of Podcast Training on Birth Fear in Couples

Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa

Status: Invitation-only

Conditions: Birth Fear; Pregnancy

Treatments: Behavioral: podcast training

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06929975

2025/160

Details and patient eligibility

About

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.

Full 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.

Enrollment: 50 estimated patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 19 to 35 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

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

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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50 participants in 2 patient groups

podcast

Experimental group

Description:

In accordance with the established training program for participants, a four-phase podcast listening process aimed at reducing birth fear will be implemented. The first podcast will be launched at the 33rd week of pregnancy, with the goal of helping participants gain information about the childbirth process and reduce their anxiety. Following that, a second podcast will be played at the 34th week of pregnancy, focusing on supporting psychological preparation for childbirth. The third podcast, to be implemented at the 35th week, will address topics such as relaxation techniques and breathing exercises that can be used during labor. Finally, the fourth podcast, played at the 36th week, will emphasize the importance of positive thinking and partner support during labor. To evaluate the effectiveness of the podcast sessions, psychological status and partner support scales will be applied at specific weeks.

Treatment:

Behavioral: podcast training

control

No Intervention group

Description:

Participants in the control group will not be provided with any podcast sessions; they will continue to benefit only from routine pregnancy follow-ups and existing healthcare services. This group will progress through the natural course without any special interventions, and standard prenatal care procedures will be applied. To measure changes in participants' birth fear and psychological conditions, data will be collected by applying specific scales at the 32nd, 37th, and 39th weeks of pregnancy. Additionally, the same scales will be used on the 2nd postpartum day to assess participants' psychological conditions after childbirth.