Journal of Midwifery & Reproductive Health (Jul 2024)
The Effect of Counseling based on Acceptance and Commitment therapy on the Anxiety of Pregnant Women with Gestational Hypertension
Abstract
Background & aim: Pregnant women with gestational hypertension experience higher level of anxiety during pregnancy. Managing pregnancy anxiety is of particular importance in order to control and manage blood pressure and its related complications. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of counseling based on acceptance and commitment therapy on the anxiety of pregnant women with gestational hypertension.Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted in 2021 on 58 pregnant women referring to 5 healthcare centers in Mashhad, Iran. Pregnant women with gestational age of 24-26 weeks with non-severe preeclampsia and gestational hypertension were selected by convenience sampling and then through permutation blocks were randomly placed into two intervention and control groups. Intervention group received 8 group counseling sessions and control group only received the usual pregnancy care. Van den Bergh’s Pregnancy-Related Anxiety Questionnaire (PRAQ) was completed before, immediately and one month after counseling in both groups. Data were analyzed by SPSS (version 25) using independent t test, Mann-Whitney, and analysis of variance with repeated measures. Results: No significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of pregnancy anxiety before intervention (182.7±59.2 vs. 202.0±62.2), Immediately (186.3±57.9 vs. 152.3±44.6), and one month after the intervention (190.6±58.3 vs. 154.1±45.5), the mean pregnancy anxiety score significantly reduced in the intervention group compared to the control group (P=0.015, P=0.011).Conclusion: Counseling based on acceptance and commitment therapy is effective on the anxiety of pregnant women with gestational hypertension. It is therefore recommended to use this counseling approach in delivering pregnancy care to this vulnerable population.
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