Affirmation-Based Podcast Education for Fear of Childbirth and Rumination in Pregnant Women

This study examined the effect of affirmation-based podcast training on fear of childbirth and ruminative thoughts among pregnant women. A randomized controlled design was used, and the study sample consisted of 120 pregnant women (60 in the intervention group and 60 in the control group) who applied to a Family Health Center in Istanbul between February and April 2025. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using the Pregnant Woman Information Form, the Visual Analog Score, the Fear of Childbirth Scale, and the Positive-Negative Rumination Score. The intervention group listened to affirmation-based podcast recordings for 21 days, while no intervention was applied to the control group. The primary objective was to evaluate the effect of podcast training on fear of childbirth and ruminative thoughts.

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Key information

Conditions

Fear of Childbirth Digestive System Diseases Feeding and Eating Disorders Gastrointestinal Diseases Mental Disorders Pregnancy Rumination Rumination Syndrome

Age range

18 year–45 year

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Esenyurt Kıraç Family Health Center, Istanbul, Esenyurt, Turkey (Türkiye)

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

İnclusion Criteria:

Pregnant women Aged 18-45 years Turkish citizens Having a fear of childbirth score ≥5 on the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) Having access to a device to listen to the podcast and download audio files Willing to participate in the study

Exclusion criteria

History of abortion or miscarriage Currently undergoing or previously underwent in vitro fertilization (İVF) treatment Presence of chronic diseases (e.g., cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, hypertension) Presence of psychiatric disorders (e.g., major depression, psychosis) İnability to complete the intervention or follow-up assessments

Treatment and study plan

Affirmation-based podcast training

Behavioral

Participants listened to the affirmation-based podcast training for 10 minutes each day for 21 days. The podcast recordings were uploaded to the Spotify interface. In addition, they were converted into an HTML link, and a QR code was generated. The podcast was shared with participants via the QR code and the Spotify link. A daily reminder message was sent to encourage listening.

Primary outcomes

Childbirth Fear Scale

Time frame: Baseline and 21 days post-intervention.

The total ranges from 20 to 100. Higher scores indicate higher levels of fear of childbirth.

Secondary outcomes

Positive and Negative Rumination Scale

Time frame: Baseline and 21 days post-intervention.

The total ranges from 23 to 115. Higher scores indicate higher levels of rumination.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Istinye University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

The Effect of Affirmation-Based Podcast Education on Fear of Childbirth and Ruminative Thoughts in Pregnant Women

Important dates

Study start: 2025
Primary completion: 2025
Study completion: 2025
First posted: May 15, 2026
Registry last updated: May 15, 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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Completed