The Effect of Spouse Participation Childbirth Preparation Program on Birth Outcomes

September 3, 2025 updated by: Fatma Nur Duman, Lokman Hekim Üniversitesi

The Effect of a Self-Efficacy Theory-Based Spouse Participation Childbirth Preparation Program on Fear of Childbirth, Self-Efficacy, Mode of Delivery and Birth Outcomes: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The research is designed as a pre-test, post-test, parallel-group, randomized controlled study to examine the effect of a spouse-participated childbirth preparation program based on self-efficacy theory on fear of childbirth, self-efficacy, mode of delivery and outcomes. Participants will be allocated to experimental and control groups through block randomization. Participants in the experimental group will be enrolled in a two-session spouse-participated childbirth preparation program based on self-efficacy theory once a week, in addition to receiving routine care at the hospital. Participants in the control group will not receive any intervention, only routine care provided at the hospital.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Nulliparous pregnant women and their spouses who apply to the obstetrics and gynecology clinic and outpatient clinic of the hospital where the research will be conducted will be assessed for eligibility according to the inclusion criteria, and informed consent will be obtained. Subsequently, prospective fathers will be given a Personal Information Form and the Fathers' Fear of Childbirth Scale; prospective mothers will be given a Personal Information Form, the Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire Version A, the Childbirth Self-Efficacy Inventory Short Form, and the Perception of Spousal Support in Pregnancy Scale as pre-tests. Couples will be allocated to the experimental or control group according to a block randomization list. Couples assigned to the experimental group will be included in a three-week program, attending a self-efficacy theory-based childbirth preparation program in groups of 3-4 couples, scheduled according to their availability. At the end of the sessions, the training guide reflecting the content of the training will be given to the couples and they will be asked to read it at home and do their homework by using the relevant parts of the guide. At the same time, these couples will continue routine pregnancy controls in the hospital. Routine pregnancy check-ups at the hospital include standard antenatal follow-ups, and pregnant women and their partners receive information about the pregnancy and labour process only during the medical examination. It is planned to complete the trainings once a week, twice in total and for two weeks. After the trainings are completed, it is planned to send at least three reminders by text message until the calculated delivery date. Brochures and text message contents related to the training content will be used in the reminder. After completing the training, the Fathers' Fear of Childbirth Scale, the Childbirth Self-Efficacy Inventory Short Form, and the Perception of Spousal Support in Pregnancy Scale will be administered again. Following childbirth, the Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire Version B will be completed by the mothers, and the birth process information form will be filled out by the researcher. Couples in the control group will undergo the same pre-test and post-test assessments as the experimental group. However, no additional intervention will be provided to these couples, and they will receive the same routine care as the experimental group.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
120

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Söğütözü Mahallesi
      • Ankara, Söğütözü Mahallesi, Turkey (Türkiye), 06510
        • Lokman Hekim University

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Couples must be 18 years of age or older,
  • Couples should be able to read and write Turkish,
  • The pregnant woman has never given birth before,
  • The pregnant woman is at 28-30 weeks of gestation,
  • The pregnancy is viable and singular,
  • The pregnant woman does not have an established indication for caesarean section,
  • Routine controls during pregnancy are carried out in the hospital where the study is conducted.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Pregnancy achieved by assisted reproductive techniques,
  • Participating in a birth preparation programme other than the routine pregnancy check-ups at the hospital,
  • Failure to attend any of the sessions in the childbirth preparation programme,
  • Failure to communicate in the postnatal period (no response to at least 3 telephone calls)
  • Development of any indication for caesarean section during pregnancy,
  • The birth takes place in a health institution different from the hospital where the research will be conducted.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
No Intervention: Control Group
No additional intervention will be provided to couples in the control group, and they will receive the routine care provided at the hospital. This routine care includes standard antenatal follow-ups, during which pregnant women and their spouses receive information about pregnancy and childbirth only during physician examinations.
Experimental: Experimental Group
According to the block randomisation method, the couples who are included in the experimental group by applying the pre-test will be included in the programme in groups of 3-4 couples by planning the day and time they can participate in the programme. At the end of the sessions, the training guide reflecting the training content will be given to the couples and they will be asked to read it at home and do their homework by using the relevant parts of the guide. At the same time, these couples will continue their routine pregnancy controls in the hospital. It is planned to complete the trainings once a week, twice in total and for two weeks. After the trainings are completed, it is planned to send at least three reminders by text message until the calculated delivery date. Brochures and text message content related to the training content will be used in the reminder.
Other: Self-efficacy Theory-based Childbirth Preparation Program
According to the block randomisation method, the couples who are included in the experimental group by applying the pre-test will be included in the programme in groups of 3-4 couples by planning the day and time they can participate in the programme. At the end of the sessions, the training guide reflecting the training content will be given to the couples and they will be asked to read it at home and do their homework by using the relevant parts of the guide. At the same time, these couples will continue their routine pregnancy controls in the hospital. It is planned to complete the trainings once a week, twice in total and for two weeks. After the trainings are completed, it is planned to send at least three reminders by text message until the calculated delivery date. Brochures and text message content related to the training content will be used in the reminder.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
The Childbirth Self-Efficacy Inventory Short Form
Time Frame: The pre-test will be administered before randomisation and the post-test will be administered 15 minutes after the training is completed (on the same day).
Measures the level of self-efficacy of expectant mothers in childbirth. The lowest score that can be obtained from the overall scale is 32 and the highest score is 320. The highest score obtained from the overall scale means that women's self-efficacy levels in childbirth are high (Ersoy & Kukulu, 2011).
The pre-test will be administered before randomisation and the post-test will be administered 15 minutes after the training is completed (on the same day).
Birth Process Information Form
Time Frame: It will be applied two hours after the expectant mother gives birth.
This form inquires about the mode of delivery and intervention at birth. One of the primary outcomes of the research is mode of delivery.
It will be applied two hours after the expectant mother gives birth.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
The Fathers' Fear of Childbirth Scale
Time Frame: The pre-test will be administered before randomisation and the post-test will be administered 15 minutes after the training is completed (on the same day).
Measures the level of fear of childbirth in expectant fathers. The minimum score that can be obtained from the scale is 17 and the maximum score is 85. As the score increases, the level of fear of birth experienced by fathers also increases (Calpbinici vd., 2023).
The pre-test will be administered before randomisation and the post-test will be administered 15 minutes after the training is completed (on the same day).
The Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire Version A-B
Time Frame: The pre-test will be administered before randomisation and the post-test 2 hours after the delivery.
Measures the level of fear of childbirth in expectant mothers. The minimum score that can be obtained from the scale is 0 and the maximum score is 165. As the score obtained from the scale increases, women's fear of childbirth also increases (Korukcu vd., 2012; Korukcu vd., 2016).
The pre-test will be administered before randomisation and the post-test 2 hours after the delivery.
The Perception of Spousal Support in Pregnancy Scale
Time Frame: The pre-test will be administered before randomisation and the post-test will be administered 15 minutes after the training is completed (on the same day).
Measures pregnant women's perceived partner support. A minimum of 16 and a maximum of 80 points can be obtained from the scale. A higher score means higher perceived spousal support (Yurdakul vd., 2020).
The pre-test will be administered before randomisation and the post-test will be administered 15 minutes after the training is completed (on the same day).

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Lokman Hekim Üniversitesi

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Study Director: Zehra Gölbaşı, Ph.D., Lokman Hekim Üniversitesi

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
January 9, 2025

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
June 1, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
June 1, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
June 1, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 5, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
June 12, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
September 4, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 3, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
September 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • LHU_FND1

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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