Music Listening During NST Monitoring

Effects of Music Listening During Non-Stress Test Monitoring on Fetal Parameters, Maternal Anxiety, Loneliness, and Positive-Negative Affect: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This study evaluated whether listening to music during routine non-stress test (NST) monitoring affects fetal parameters and maternal psychological outcomes. NST is a common prenatal assessment, and some pregnant women may experience anxiety or negative emotions during the procedure. Music listening is a non-pharmacological approach that may improve emotional well-being and potentially influence fetal responses.

In this randomized controlled trial, pregnant women who attended an NST unit were assigned either to a music group that listened to music through headphones during NST monitoring or to a control group that received routine NST monitoring without music. Fetal parameters were assessed from NST recordings. Maternal anxiety, loneliness, and positive-negative affect were measured before and after the NST using validated questionnaires.

The results of this study aim to inform supportive prenatal care practices and evaluate whether music listening can be used as a simple intervention during NST monitoring.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Pregnancy; Maternal Anxiety; Fetal Well-Being
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Music Listening During NST

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 100
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey (Türkiye)
  • Istanbul
    • Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye), 34010
      • State University Hospital, Obstetrics Clinic, NST Unit, Istanbul

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Pregnant women attending the NST unit during the study period
• Aged 18 years or older
• Volunteered to participate and provided written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Inability to read and write Turkish
• Hearing impairment or mental health conditions limiting participation
• Multiple pregnancy

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Music Listening During NST; Participants listened to music through headphones during routine NST monitoring in a left lateral position for at least 20 minutes. The volume was adjusted according to participant preference.	Behavioral: Music Listening During NST; Participants listened to music through headphones during routine NST monitoring in a left lateral position for at least 20 minutes. The volume was adjusted according to participant preference.
No Intervention: Control Group; Participants received routine NST monitoring in a left lateral position for at least 20 minutes without music.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Maternal State Anxiety	Change in maternal anxiety measured using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory - State Form (STAI-S). Scores range from 20 to 80; higher scores indicate greater anxiety.	Baseline (pre-NST) and immediately post-NST (same visit)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Loneliness (Social and Emotional Loneliness)	Change in loneliness measured using the Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale for Adults - Short Form (SELSA-S). Total scores range from 15 to 105; higher scores indicate greater loneliness.	Baseline (pre-NST) and immediately post-NST (same visit)
Positive and Negative Affect	Change in affect measured using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Each subscale ranges from 10 to 50; higher positive scores indicate more positive affect and higher negative scores indicate greater negative affect.	Baseline (pre-NST) and immediately post-NST (same visit)
Fetal Heart Rate During NST	Fetal heart rate assessed from NST recordings during the monitoring session. Measured in beats per minute; normal patterns (120-140/min) indicate better fetal well-being.	During NST monitoring (same visit)
Fetal Movement Count During NST	Number of fetal movements recorded by the mother using the event marker during NST monitoring. Higher counts indicate greater fetal activity.	During NST monitoring (same visit).

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Biruni University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: NİLGUN AVCI, Biruni University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 1, 2023
• Primary Completion (Actual): April 30, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): April 30, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 6, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 12, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): February 17, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): February 17, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 12, 2026
• Last Verified: February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: Music Listening During NST

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No