Postpartum
Conditions
Keywords
Anxiety; Cesarean Delivery; Music Therapy; Pain; Postpartum Comfort; Ukulele
Brief summary
This study aims to examine whether listening to live ukulele music after cesarean delivery can help reduce pain-related distress and anxiety and improve comfort in women who have given birth by cesarean section for the first time. Women participating in the study will be randomly assigned to either a ukulele music group or a routine care group. Women in the ukulele music group will listen to live ukulele music for 30 minutes at 24 hours after cesarean delivery. Women in the routine care group will receive the usual care provided by the hospital. The study will compare the two groups in terms of pain-related thoughts and distress, postpartum anxiety, and overall comfort during the early postpartum period. The findings may help determine whether live ukulele music can be used as a simple, non-drug approach to support women during recovery after cesarean delivery.
Detailed description
Cesarean delivery is a common surgical method of childbirth and may be associated with pain, anxiety, psychological stress, and difficulties in adapting to the early postpartum period. Non-pharmacological approaches may help support women's comfort and psychological well-being during this period. This study evaluates whether listening to live ukulele music after cesarean delivery can reduce pain catastrophizing and postpartum-specific anxiety and improve postpartum comfort in primiparous women. Participants are randomly assigned to either a ukulele music group or a routine care group. Women in the intervention group receive a 30-minute live ukulele music session at 24 hours after cesarean delivery. The same standardized melody is performed by the researcher in the participant's room. Women in the control group receive routine postoperative care without an additional intervention during the study assessment period. The effects of the intervention are evaluated using standardized questionnaires assessing pain catastrophizing, postpartum-specific anxiety, and postpartum comfort. The study aims to determine whether a brief, non-pharmacological music intervention may be a feasible complementary approach to support women's psychological well-being and pain management during the early postpartum period. The study is intended to provide information that may be useful to women, families, nurses, midwives, and other healthcare professionals interested in supportive and non-pharmacological approaches to postpartum care.
Interventions
Women who were admitted to the postoperative unit and met the eligibility criteria were assessed by the researcher. Eligible women were provided with written and verbal information about the purpose of the study, the intervention procedures, ethical and institutional permissions, and the confidentiality of personal information. Written informed consent was obtained from women who agreed to participate in the study. Participants were assigned to the intervention and control groups in a 1:1 ratio using a computer-generated randomization sequence created with the RANDOM.ORG Sequence Generator (RANDOM.ORG, 2026). After the Informed Consent Form and Introductory Characteristics Questionnaire were administered to women assigned to the intervention group, the same standardized melody was performed live on the ukulele by the researcher for 30 minutes at 24 hours postoperatively. Following the intervention, the Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale, Postpartum Comfort Scale, and Pain Catastrophizin
Sponsors
Study design
Intervention model description
Participants will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either the ukulele music intervention group or the routine care control group. The intervention group will receive a 30-minute live ukulele music intervention at 24 hours after cesarean delivery, while the control group will receive routine postoperative care without an additional intervention during the study assessment period. Outcomes will be assessed after the intervention and compared between the two groups.
Eligibility
Inclusion criteria
* Primiparous women who have undergone cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia * No chronic disease * Turkish-speaking * Able to communicate effectively * Willing to participate voluntarily and provide written informed consent
Exclusion criteria
* Hearing impairment * Cesarean delivery performed under epidural or general anesthesia * Development of postoperative complications * Requirement for additional analgesics beyond routine postoperative treatment
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Pain Catastrophizing Level | Between 25 and 26 hours postoperatively | Pain catastrophizing will be assessed using the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), a 13-item self-report instrument assessing rumination, magnification, and helplessness related to pain. Total scores range from 0 to 52, with higher scores indicating higher levels of pain catastrophizing. The outcome will be compared between the ukulele music intervention group and the routine care control group. |
| Postpartum-Specific Anxiety Level | Between 25 and 26 hours postoperatively | Postpartum-specific anxiety will be assessed using the Turkish version of the Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale (PSAS). The scale consists of 47 items rated on a 4-point Likert scale, with higher total scores indicating higher levels of postpartum-specific anxiety. The outcome will be compared between the ukulele music intervention group and the routine care control group. |
| Postpartum Comfort Level | Between 25 and 26 hours postoperatively | Postpartum comfort will be assessed using the Postpartum Comfort Questionnaire (PPCQ), a 34-item instrument evaluating physical, psychospiritual, and sociocultural comfort. Total scores range from 34 to 170, with higher scores indicating higher levels of postpartum comfort. The outcome will be compared between the ukulele music intervention group and the routine care control group. |
Countries
Turkey (Türkiye)