EFFECT OF DİFFERENT POSİTİONS ON PAİN AND COMFORT DURİNG FETAL MONİTORİNG İN OBESE PREGNANT WOMEN

January 23, 2026 updated by: hatice melike, Tokat Gaziosmanpasa University

THE EFFECT OF DİFFERENT MATERNAL POSİTİONS APPLİED DURİNG FETAL MONİTORİNG ON PAİN AND COMFORT LEVELS İN OBESE PREGNANT WOMEN

This study was conducted to understand how different body positions during fetal monitoring affect pain and comfort in obese pregnant women. Fetal monitoring is a routine procedure used during pregnancy to check the baby's well-being. During this procedure, pregnant women are usually asked to lie still for a period of time, which may cause discomfort, especially for women with obesity.

The study included obese pregnant women in their third trimester who attended obstetrics outpatient clinics and underwent routine fetal monitoring. During the monitoring process, women were placed in one of three different positions: supported left side-lying, unsupported left side-lying, or lying on the back. Pain and comfort levels were assessed during and immediately after the fetal monitoring procedure.

The aim of this study was to determine which position provides greater comfort and less pain for obese pregnant women during fetal monitoring. The findings of this study may help health care professionals choose more comfortable positioning options and improve the overall pregnancy care experience for obese pregnant women.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Fetal monitoring is a commonly used procedure during pregnancy to assess fetal well-being by recording the fetal heart rate and uterine activity. Although it is a routine and non-invasive procedure, remaining in the same position for an extended period of time may cause discomfort and pain, particularly in obese pregnant women. Maternal obesity is known to increase physical strain and may negatively affect comfort during clinical procedures.

This study was designed to evaluate the effects of different maternal positions applied during fetal monitoring on pain and comfort levels in obese pregnant women. The study was conducted with pregnant women who met the inclusion criteria and attended obstetrics outpatient clinics for routine fetal monitoring. Participants were assigned to one of three maternal positions during the monitoring process: supported left side-lying, unsupported left side-lying, or supine position.

During the fetal monitoring procedure, participants' pain and comfort levels were assessed using appropriate measurement methods. The primary focus of the study was to compare maternal comfort and pain perception across different positions during fetal monitoring. Understanding how positioning affects maternal comfort may contribute to improved clinical practices and enhance the quality of care provided to obese pregnant women during routine prenatal monitoring.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

174

Phase

  • 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 Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Tokat Province
      • Tokat Province, Tokat Province, Turkey (Türkiye), 60100
        • Tokat State Hospital, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, NST Room

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

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Pregnant women who voluntarily agree to participate in the study
  • Aged between 19 and 40 years
  • Experiencing a healthy pregnancy
  • Gestational age between 28+0 and 40+0 weeks (only third-trimester pregnancies are included, as EFM monitoring is recommended after 27 weeks)
  • Singleton pregnancy with a live fetus
  • Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or higher
  • No physical disabilities
  • Able to speak Turkish to answer questions accurately
  • No cognitive, comprehension, or communication difficulties

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Pregnant women who do not agree to participate in the study
  • Aged under 19 years or 41 years and above (adolescent and advanced-age pregnancies are excluded due to increased risk)
  • Diagnosed with high-risk pregnancy
  • Illiterate or unable to read/write
  • Having a contagious disease
  • Having a mental disorder or history of a mental disorder requiring treatment
  • Having physical disabilities affecting mobility, hearing, or psychological function
  • Gestational age less than 28+0 weeks
  • Currently in active labor

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: Other
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Supported Left Lateral Position
Participants underwent electronic fetal monitoring while lying in a supported left lateral position using pillows for positioning support.
Behavioral: Maternal Positioning during NST
This intervention involves placing pregnant women at 28-40 weeks of gestation in specific positions (supported left lateral, supine, or left lateral without support) during Non-Stress Test (NST) monitoring. Each participant remains in the assigned position for 20-40 minutes while fetal heart rate is recorded using EFM. Pain/discomfort and overall comfort are assessed using Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and General Comfort Scale immediately after the intervention. The intervention is distinguished from other studies by the randomized allocation of three positional groups and simultaneous evaluation of maternal comfort and fetal monitoring outcomes.
Other Names:
  • Supported Left Lateral Position (Group 1)
  • Supine Position (Group 2)
  • Left Lateral without Support (Group 3)
Experimental: Unsupported Left Lateral Position
Participants underwent electronic fetal monitoring while lying in an unsupported left lateral position without additional positioning aids.
Behavioral: Maternal Positioning during NST
This intervention involves placing pregnant women at 28-40 weeks of gestation in specific positions (supported left lateral, supine, or left lateral without support) during Non-Stress Test (NST) monitoring. Each participant remains in the assigned position for 20-40 minutes while fetal heart rate is recorded using EFM. Pain/discomfort and overall comfort are assessed using Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and General Comfort Scale immediately after the intervention. The intervention is distinguished from other studies by the randomized allocation of three positional groups and simultaneous evaluation of maternal comfort and fetal monitoring outcomes.
Other Names:
  • Supported Left Lateral Position (Group 1)
  • Supine Position (Group 2)
  • Left Lateral without Support (Group 3)
Experimental: Supine Position
Participants underwent electronic fetal monitoring while lying in the supine (back-lying) position.
Behavioral: Maternal Positioning during NST
This intervention involves placing pregnant women at 28-40 weeks of gestation in specific positions (supported left lateral, supine, or left lateral without support) during Non-Stress Test (NST) monitoring. Each participant remains in the assigned position for 20-40 minutes while fetal heart rate is recorded using EFM. Pain/discomfort and overall comfort are assessed using Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and General Comfort Scale immediately after the intervention. The intervention is distinguished from other studies by the randomized allocation of three positional groups and simultaneous evaluation of maternal comfort and fetal monitoring outcomes.
Other Names:
  • Supported Left Lateral Position (Group 1)
  • Supine Position (Group 2)
  • Left Lateral without Support (Group 3)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Maternal Comfort during NST
Time Frame: Immediately after NST
Maternal overall comfort during Non-Stress Test (NST) will be assessed using the General Comfort Scale (Short Form). The scale consists of 28 items evaluating three sub-dimensions: relief, ease, and transcendence. Each item is rated on a 6-point Likert scale, where 1 indicates low comfort and 6 indicates high comfort. The assessment will be conducted immediately after the NST while the participant remains in the assigned position (supported left lateral, supine, or left lateral without support). This measure evaluates the effect of maternal positioning on overall comfort during fetal monitoring."
Immediately after NST

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
General Comfort Scale Score
Time Frame: Immediately after NST
Maternal overall comfort during Non-Stress Test (NST) will be assessed using the General Comfort Scale (Short Form). The scale consists of 28 items evaluating three sub-dimensions: relief, ease, and transcendence. Each item is rated on a 6-point Likert scale, where 1 indicates low comfort and 6 indicates high comfort. The assessment will be conducted immediately after the NST while the participant remains in the assigned position (supported left lateral, supine, or left lateral without support). This measure evaluates the effect of maternal positioning on overall comfort during fetal monitoring.
Immediately after NST

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Tokat Gaziosmanpasa University

Collaborators

The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: demet çakır, Assistant Professor, Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University, Department of Midwifery
  • Principal Investigator: Hatice melike evrin, Master's Student, Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University, Department of Midwifery

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

  • Evrin HM, Demet B; Effects of Maternal Position on Fetal Comfort during NST; Presented at the 2023 Kocaeli Midwifery Congress, Turkey; Unpublished

Helpful Links

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)

December 1, 2023

Primary Completion (Actual)

February 2, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

February 2, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 23, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 23, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

January 30, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

January 30, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 23, 2026

Last Verified

January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • TUBITAK-2209A-1919B012309536
  • TUBITAK 2209-A (Other Identifier: The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK))

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

Individual participant data from the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and General Comfort Scale assessments will be shared, including participant age, gestational week, and body mass index (BMI). Data will be de-identified to protect participant privacy.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

De-identified IPD and supporting information will be available from March 1, 2026, for a period of 2 years, upon reasonable request.

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

De-identified individual participant data (VAS scores, General Comfort Scale results, age, gestational week, BMI) along with study protocol, informed consent form, and data dictionary/codebook will be available to other researchers upon reasonable request. Access will be granted after approval by the study principal investigator via secure data sharing platform or email.

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • SAP
  • ICF

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

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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