Development of Birth Perception Scale and Educational Intervention

This study was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, a psychometric instrument was developed and validated to measure women's perceptions of childbirth. The scale demonstrated strong reliability and validity indicators through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses.

In the second phase, a randomized controlled trial was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured online education program on pregnant women's childbirth-related outcomes. A total of 80 pregnant women were recruited and randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n=40), which received a 9-hour online childbirth education program, or the control group (n=40), which received routine antenatal care.

The primary outcomes were childbirth perception, fear of childbirth, and readiness for birth, assessed at baseline and post-intervention using validated instruments. The results showed that the online education program significantly improved childbirth perception and readiness for birth while reducing fear of childbirth compared to the control group.

This trial provides evidence for the effectiveness of online antenatal education in promoting a positive childbirth experience and may contribute to improving maternal health outcomes in line with international recommendations for respectful maternity care.

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Key information

Conditions

Fear of Childbirth

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Ege University Faculty of Nursing

Izmir, 35100, Turkey (Türkiye)

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

Pregnant women aged 18 years or older
Gestational age between 20-34 weeks at the time of enrollment
Ability to read and understand Turkish
Access to the internet and a device (computer, tablet, or smartphone) to attend online sessions
Willingness to participate in a 9-hour online childbirth education program
Provided written informed consent

Exclusion criteria

High-risk pregnancy requiring specialized medical care (e.g., preeclampsia, placenta previa, multiple gestation with complications)
Known psychiatric disorders that could interfere with participation (e.g., severe anxiety disorder, major depression, psychosis)
Inability to attend online sessions due to technical or personal limitations
Previous participation in a structured childbirth education program during the current pregnancy
Refusal or withdrawal of informed consent

Treatment and study plan

Birth Education

Other

The population consisted of all pregnant women between 24-36 weeks of gestation residing in Izmir province, and the study was completed with a total of 80 pregnant women, 40 pregnant women as intervention and 40 as control in line with the snowball sampling method. Ege Birth Perception Scale, Risk Assessment Form, Individual Introduction Form, Prenatal Self-Assessment Scale, Birth Education Evaluation Form were used to collect the data. Pregnant women who agreed to participate in the study were randomly divided into intervention and control groups; the intervention group received nine hours of online training, while the control group did not receive any intervention.

Primary outcomes

Childbirth Perception Score

Time frame: Measured by the validated Childbirth Perception Scale at baseline (before intervention) and 4 weeks after the intervention.
Fear of Childbirth Score

Time frame: Measured by the Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire (W-DEQ) at baseline and 4 weeks after the intervention.
Readiness for Birth Scor

Time frame: Measured by the Childbirth Readiness Scale at baseline and 4 weeks after the intervention.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Ege University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Development of Ege Birth Perception Scale and the Effect of Planned Education on Birth Perception, Birth Fear and Birth Readiness

Important dates

Study start: 2024
Primary completion: 2024
Study completion: 2025
First posted: Sep 23, 2025
Registry last updated: Sep 23, 2025

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