The Effect of Watching Cat Videos on Non-Stress Test Results And Stress Parameters in Pregnant Women

Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa

Status: Not yet enrolling

Conditions: Fetal Well-Being; Maternal Stress

Treatments: Behavioral: Group watching cat videos; Behavioral: Non-Video Watching Group

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07332039

IstanbulUC-EBE-RD-02

Details and patient eligibility

About

Pregnancy is a period in which women are physiologically and psychologically vulnerable, and the stress experienced can affect both maternal mental health and fetal well-being. The non-stress test (NST), used to assess fetal health in the final weeks of pregnancy, can cause anxiety in some women because it requires the mother to remain supine and immobile for extended periods. Prolonged testing or non-reactive results can also increase this stress. Therefore, simple methods are needed to reduce stress during NST. Humorous and cute content, especially animal videos, is known to promote positive emotions and psychological relaxation. This study evaluated the effects of watching cat videos during NST on stress levels and fetal physiological parameters in primiparous pregnant women.

Full description

Pregnancy is a sensitive period during which women experience a variety of changes, both physiologically and psychologically. Stress factors encountered during this period can negatively impact the mother's mental health and fetal well-being. Non-stress testing (NST) is a non-invasive screening method frequently performed in the final weeks of pregnancy to assess fetal health. However, during the NST, the mother lies motionless in a supine position for approximately 20 minutes, during which time she attempts to obtain sufficient data on the baby's heart rate and movements, which can cause stress and anxiety in some women. A prolonged duration or a non-reactive test result can be a cause for concern. Therefore, simple and effective methods are needed to reduce maternal stress during the NST. Humorous and cute content, especially animal videos, are known to evoke positive emotions and provide psychological relief in viewers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of watching a cat video during the NST procedure on stress parameters and fetal physiological parameters in primiparous pregnant women.

Enrollment: 50 estimated patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Pregnant women who are primiparous,
• Able to communicate in Turkish,
• In their 34th-40th weeks of pregnancy,
• Have no problems that would prevent them from viewing visual or auditory materials,
• Have the cognitive ability to understand interactive video content,
• Have not engaged in physical exercise for at least 2 hours prior to fetal heart rate monitoring will be included in the study.

Exclusion criteria

• Pregnant women with multiple pregnancies,
• Uterine contractions detected during NST,
• Diagnosed with a high-risk pregnancy (preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, placenta previa, etc.),
• A phobia of cats (ailurophobia),
• Pregnant women who became pregnant using assisted reproductive technologies (ART),
• Have a history of a diagnosed endocrinological (e.g., hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, Cushing's syndrome) or psychiatric (e.g., anxiety disorder, depression) disease will be excluded from the study.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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50 participants in 2 patient groups

Control Group

Experimental group

Description:

Participants randomly assigned to the control group will also rest in a private room for 10 minutes, after which all initial measurements will be taken. A routine NST will then be performed.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Non-Video Watching Group

Intervention group

Experimental group

Treatment:

Behavioral: Group watching cat videos