Celine Chibuzo Agonsi
University of Portharcourt, Nigeria
Abstract Title: Psychoeducational Intervention For Reducing Childbirth Fear Among Pregnant Women in Two Public Hospitals In Owerri: A Randomised Trial
Biography:
I'm Agonsi Maria Celine Chibuzo, IHM. I'm a catholic nun, belonging to the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Mother of Christ, an international Religious Institute, the headquarters is in Nigeria.
I'm a Nurse/ Midwife by profession with thirty one years of experience.
I graduated as a Registered nurse in 1995, graduated as a midwife in 1997.
I worked as a Nurse/ Midwife clinician and Administrator for 8 years and later entered into Nursing education which has earned me the following higher degrees in Nursing and Midwifery field;
1. Diploma in Nursing education 2010
2. Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing 2014
3. Master’s Degree in Nursing education 2024
4. Masters in Midwifery and Child Health Nursing 2023
5. PhD in Nursing, with Midwifery Major, completed and awaiting result, 2026
6. I headed a Midwifery school for 12yrs
7. Head of Nursing department in a private university for three years
8. Provost College of Nursing Sciences
9. Head of Nursing department in a state university presently.
I'm a researcher, I am a Principal educator in Nursing and Midwifery education. I have mentored many young nurses and midwives. I have special love for Midwifery and this is part of why I have chosen to explore this topic on Psychoeducational intervention for Reducing Childbirth fear among Pregnant women in Owerri Imo state, Nigeria. A Randomized Trial. This has been published in African Biomedical Research Journal, a scopus indexed journal. I have published other works in Nursing and Midwifery topics.
Research Interest:
Introduction: Childbirth fear and anxiety negatively affect maternal well-being and birth experience. Structured psychoeducation may enhance emotional preparedness and coping among first-time mothers.
Aim: This study examined the effectiveness of a psychoeducational intervention in reducing childbirth fear among first-time pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in Imo State, Nigeria.
Methods: A Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial design was employed. A total of 254 participants (127 each from Federal Medical Centre Owerri (Control) and Imo State Specialist Hospital, Umuguma (intervention group)) were recruited using multistage sampling. At baseline, participants were recruited at 16-20 weeks of gestation, and there was no statistical difference in demographics between groups. The intervention comprised three structured psychoeducational sessions focusing on childbirth processes, coping strategies, and emotional regulation. The control received routine antenatal care. Data were collected using a four-item demographic survey, Wijma Delivery Expectancy Questionnaire-A (WDEQ-A) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI; content validity = 0.815, r = 0.870). Statistical analyses involved descriptive statistics, Fisher’s Exact Test, and Relative Risk (RR) at 95% Confidence Interval. University of Port Harcourt Institutional Review Board. Only 122 participants and 118 controls completed the study.
Results: At baseline, all the participants (100%) scored within the morbid fear and morbid anxiety range. This finding underscores the high psychological vulnerability of first-time pregnant women in the study setting. Psychoeducation reduced delivery expectancy fear by threefold (RR = 3.46, 95% CI: 2.72–4.39, p = 0.001) and anxiety by twofold (RR = 2.08, 95% CI: 1.81–2.38, p = 0.001). The effect sizes indicate a clinically meaningful impact of the intervention in the reduction of maternal psychological outcomes among the intervention group compared to controls. Significant reductions in delivery expectancy fear were observed across all age groups, whereas anxiety reduction was significant only among women aged 25–31 years (p = 0.004). This suggests that age may moderate the anxiety-related benefits of psychoeducation. Similarly, the intervention significantly reduced delivery expectancy fear across all education levels (p = 0.001). This reflects the broad applicability of psychoeducation regardless of educational attainment. Secondary and tertiary-educated women had significant improvements in anxiety (p = 0.001 and p = 0.028, respectively). This implies that educational status may influence responsiveness to anxiety-focused components of the intervention.
Conclusion: The psychoeducational intervention universally reduced childbirth fear but selectively reduced anxiety among first-time pregnant women. Psychoeducation could be integrated into routine antenatal care to improve maternal psychological well-being and childbirth outcomes.