Reducing Turkey High Cesarean Section Rates

Considering the increasing rates of cesarean delivery in Turkey, we aimed to research the impact of antenatal education on pregnancy, the childbirth process, the cesarean section rate, and the postpartum period through a randomized controlled study. METHOD: A total of 120 pregnant women (40 in the education group and 80 in the control group) with a gestational age of 28 weeks or more were included in the study from the Üsküdar. The education group trained face to face in the Childbirth Preparation Class. Only if, pre- and post-training tests were administered to the education group to evaluate sociodemographic characteristics, educational needs, birth preferences, satisfaction with the training, and the behavioral outcomes gained from the training.

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Key information

Conditions

Birth, First Behavior Birth Outcome, Adverse Breast Feeding Feeding Behavior Female Urogenital Diseases and Pregnancy Complications Pregnancy Complications Urogenital Diseases

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Sağlık bilimleri üniversitesi

Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye)

About this study

In this context, given the increase in cesarean section rates, we designed a study incorporating both quantitative and qualitative data to investigate the effect of educating pregnant women about childbirth, the labor process, and the postpartum period. We aimed to examine the relationship between participants' receipt of antenatal education and mode of delivery (vaginal birth/cesarean section), the institution where the birth took place, age, and the number of informational phone calls received. In addition, among volunteers who participated in the pregnancy education program, we aimed to evaluate their educational needs, birth preferences, satisfaction with the training, and the impact of the training on their.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Years over 18.
Pregnancy over 28 weeks (primiparous).
To live in Üsküdar.
No additional diseases that may affect maternal and neonatal outcomes.

Exclusion criteria

Patients with high-risk pregnancies.
Patients with maternal comorbidities (gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, uncontrolled diabetes or gestational diabetes, malignancy, vascular diseases, degenerative joint and connective tissue diseases, mental illness).
Women with known chronic disease.
Have a history of cesareans.

Treatment and study plan

Antenatal Education

Other

Pregnancy Information Class Pregnancy information training is conducted by a family medicine specialist and a midwife using the Ministry of Health's current guidelines and presentations provided as training material, with theoretical instruction and one-on-one question-and-answer sessions. The training lasts a total of 4 hours in two sessions per day.

Primary outcomes

Comparison of the mode of delivery and the institution where the birth hospital

Time frame: through study completion, an average of 6 months.

Data Collection: The age, number of telephone consultations/information sessions, preferred hospital type (public/private), and final delivery method (normal/cesarean) of the participants in both groups were recorded. In addition, socio-demographic data (age, education, income, occupation, spouse's age, etc.), birth preferences (normal/vaginal or cesarean), 10 questions (1-5 scale) asking why they preferred normal delivery, 8 questions (1-5 scale) asking why they preferred cesarean delivery, and factors influencing their birth preference were recorded before the training. After the training, qualitative and quantitative data, including open-ended questions on the training needs and satisfaction of the study group, were recorded.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Saglik Bilimleri Universitesi

Other

Registry information

Official study title

The Role Of Antenatal Education In Reducing Turkey High Cesarean Section Rates: A Randomized Controlled Trials

Important dates

Study start: 2025
Primary completion: 2025
Study completion: 2026
First posted: Sep 2, 2026
Registry last updated: Sep 2, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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