None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
The research will compare three groups of first-time mothers (a creative arts intervention group, an informal therapy intervention and control group and a questionnaire only and additional control group) in a partially randomised, controlled pilot trial in order to determine whether the psychological creative arts intervention program is more effective in reducing the use of analgesics or pain-relief during labour, increasing the level of satisfaction with labour, or the woman's ability to cope with labour, and reducing levels of depression and anxiety post-natally, compared to an informal birth support group, and a questionnaire only control group.
Interventions
The research will now compare three groups of first-time mothers, a creative arts intervention program, an informal birth support group and a control group that does not receive any intervention within the study. Both intervention groups receive two hour weekly sessions over an eight week period that includes a general discussion of issues that arise for the women in relation to their pregnancy. In addition, the creative arts intervention group recieve a regular relaxation/meditation program tha
The research will now compare three groups of first-time mothers, a creative arts intervention program, an informal birth support group and a control group that does not receive any intervention within the study. Both intervention groups receive two hour weekly sessions over an eight week period that includes a general discussion of issues that arise for the women in relation to their pregnancy. In addition, the creative arts intervention group recieve a regular relaxation/meditation program that targets pain management during the three stages of labour. The creative arts program also engage in group discussion and complete worksheets around four topics aimed at assisting women to prepare more effectively for labour, birth and early motherhood. Participants of all intervention groups will attend one of the hospital's ante-natal programs. All participants will complete standardardised questionnaires (prior to the program), and other questionnaires designed by leading professionals in the field of mother-baby research, in order to determine levels of anxiety, depression and general health. Relevant demographic information will also be collected. Questionnaires will also be adminstered after the baby's birth in order in order to assess birth outcomes. Outcomes on depression, anxiety and general health will be evaluated two months post-natally. The study has been deemed a pilot project for a larger scale study, therefore it is no longer considered to be a randomised controlled trial. Allocation to groups was based on partial randomisation. Allocations to the intervention or control group was based on the availability of the participant and whether the day/time of the program fitted in with the mother's schedule. Therefore, participants chose a suitable time/day that they could attend but were not informed of which group they were allocated to until their first session. Those who could not attend often opted to participate in the questionnaire only control group.
Sponsors
Primrose White
Study design
Allocation
Non-randomised trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Prevention
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
20 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
First-time mothers with good spoken English, in order to participate in the intervention or control program.
Exclusion criteria
Any history of psychiatric disorders or a medical condition which would preclude a spontaneous vaginal birth.
Outcome results
None listed