The Effect of Podcast and Pregnancy School Education on Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy and Infant Feeding Attitudes

Self-efficacy is a fundamental component for individuals to effectively manage and succeed in a given domain. In this context, breastfeeding self-efficacy is essential for the successful initiation and continuation of breastfeeding. High levels of breastfeeding self-efficacy among pregnant women facilitate adaptation to the postpartum period. Educational interventions provided during the final stages of pregnancy contribute to increased self-efficacy and promote smoother adjustment to the postpartum process. Therefore, antenatal education plays a crucial role in preparing women for the postpartum period.

Accessibility to educational programs is key to reaching a larger population of pregnant women. Antenatal classes offer rich and comprehensive content, but their in-person nature requires women to physically attend clinical settings. It is essential that educational materials are also accessible to women who are unable to attend such facilities. Podcasts, which have become a part of our daily lives in recent years, can be utilized as an educational tool during pregnancy and other life stages. Podcasts are media files distributed over the internet and playable on portable devices. The core purpose of a podcast is to provide professional audio content that can be listened to anytime, anywhere, based on the listener's preference. This makes podcast-based education a highly accessible form of learning, particularly for pregnant women who can engage with the material as often as they wish, at their convenience of time and place.

Moreover, because podcasts do not involve visual elements (e.g., video or images), they can serve as a supportive platform that women can utilize during daily activities such as housework, walking, or cooking.

When reviewing previous thesis studies related to antenatal education, it is evident that most have focused on how antenatal classes affect childbirth fear and birth outcomes. On the other hand, thesis studies involving podcasts have largely been conducted in the fields of journalism, communication sciences, advertising, education, and sociology. The inclusion of a podcast intervention group in the proposed thesis will contribute novel findings from a type of intervention that has not previously been applied in the health sciences. The fact that previous podcast-related theses were in different disciplines demonstrates that podcasts are not limited to a single field but can be effective across various domains. Therefore, using podcasts during pregnancy, examining their impact on successful breastfeeding, and comparing them with a traditionally used method constitutes the most distinctive aspect of this thesis. A review of the broader literature outside of theses shows that podcasts are indeed used in the health field, primarily as a tool for raising awareness on specific topics. However, only one study in the field of obstetrics was identified, which investigated the effects of educational podcasts on women's sense of control and satisfaction during childbirth. That particular study included only low-risk pregnant women. In light of existing literature and previously conducted theses, the planned study is believed to be a novel contribution to the field of midwifery. It offers a new perspective to the literature and addresses women's health in a holistic manner by encompassing both the pregnancy and postpartum periods. This comprehensive approach is considered one of the key strengths of the research.

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Key information

Conditions

Educational Podcasts, Antenatal Classes Behavior Breast Feeding Feeding Behavior

Age range

18 year–50 year

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Sakarya Training and Research Hospital

Sakarya, serdivan, 54050, Turkey (Türkiye)

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

Pregnant women who are at least in the 28th week of gestation and have not yet given birth

Pregnant women in the podcast intervention group who confirm that they can access the provided links

Pregnant women in the antenatal class education group who are able to attend the SEAH antenatal education unit

Primigravida women (women in their first pregnancy)

Exclusion criteria

Pregnant women diagnosed with high-risk pregnancies

Pregnant women who do not consent to participate in the study

Pregnant women who do not have sufficient proficiency in the Turkish language

Postpartum women who experienced preterm birth

Postpartum women diagnosed with a condition that results in mother-infant separation

Treatment and study plan

breastfeeding education

Other

Women will receive education on breast milk and breastfeeding during pregnancy.The education program consists of two sessions, with a total duration of 60 minutes.

Primary outcomes

Antenatal Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale (Short Form)

Time frame: Before the intervention Two weeks after the intervention

The Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale, developed by Dennis (2003), is designed to assess a mother's confidence in her ability to breastfeed her baby (Dennis, 2003). The scale was adapted into Turkish culture by Aluş Tokat et al. (2010). It includes two subscales: "technical" and "intrapersonal thoughts." The scale is a 5-point Likert type, with responses ranging from 1 = "Not at all confident" to 5 = "Always confident." The total score ranges from a minimum of 14 to a maximum of 70. A higher score indicates a higher level of breastfeeding self-efficacy. The Cronbach's alpha value for the Turkish version of the scale was reported as 0.87 (Aluş Tokat et al., 2010).
Infant Feeding Attitude Scale

Time frame: Before the intervention Two weeks after the intervention Two and four weeks after birth

The Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale (IIFAS) was developed to evaluate women's attitudes toward breastfeeding, to predict infant feeding choices, and to estimate the intended duration of breastfeeding (Mora et al., 1999). The Turkish adaptation of the scale was conducted by Ekşioğlu et al. (2016). It is a 17-item, 5-point Likert-type scale with responses ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Of the 17 items, 9 support breastfeeding, while 8 are favorable toward formula feeding. Items related to formula feeding are reverse scored (Items 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 14, and 17): 1=5, 2=4, 4=2, 5=1. The total attitude score ranges from a minimum of 17 (indicating a positive attitude toward bottle feeding) to a maximum of 85 (indicating a positive attitude toward breastfeeding). The scale does not have a cut-off point; higher scores indicate a more positive attitude toward breastfeeding. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the Turkish version was calculated as 0.71 (Ekşio
Postnatal Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale (Short Form)

Time frame: Two and four weeks after birth

The Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale (BSES), designed to assess a mother's confidence in her ability to breastfeed her baby, was developed by Dennis (2003). The Turkish adaptation was conducted by Aluş Tokat et al. (2010). The scale includes two subscales: "technical" and "intrapersonal thoughts." It is a 5-point Likert-type scale with responses ranging from 1 = "Not at all confident" to 5 = "Always confident." Total scores range from a minimum of 14 to a maximum of 70, with higher scores indicating greater breastfeeding self-efficacy. The Cronbach's alpha value of the Turkish original version was found to be 0.86 (Aluş Tokat et al., 2010).

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Sakarya University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

The Effect of Podcast Listenings and Pregnancy School Trainings in the Antenatal Period on Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy and Infant Feeding Attitudes in the Postpartum Period

Important dates

Study start: 2025
Primary completion: 2025
Study completion: 2025
First posted: Aug 15, 2025
Registry last updated: Aug 15, 2025

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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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