Effect of self-hypnosis on fear and pain of natural childbirth: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Objectives: A clinical trial was conducted to address the trend of high cesarean section rates resulting from maternal fear of childbirth. This trial aimed to investigate the effectiveness of self-hypnosis in mitigating fear and pain during childbirth.

Methods: This study was a parallel, not blinded, randomized controlled trial conducted in 2019 in Mashhad, Iran. Ninety-three nulliparous women were selected by convenience sampling and randomized by random allocation software (4 blocking groups) to either self-hypnosis or control groups. During the clinical trial, both groups received usual care for pregnancy and childbirth. However, the self-hypnosis group also participated in two hypnosis sessions and was given two audio files to practice self-hypnosis at home until delivery. The follow-up period ranged from the 37th week of pregnancy to the postpartum period. Fear of childbirth was assessed at 39 weeks and at cervical dilatation of 8-10 cm, while labor pain was measured at the same stage of labor as the primary outcomes between two groups. Data were analyzed using SPSS 16, applying the Independent sample t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Chi-square test. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: Thirty women in the self-hypnosis group, aged 24.96±5.42, and 33 women in the control group, aged 23.63±4.68, completed the study. The average scores of fear of childbirth during pregnancy at 39 weeks (self-hypnosis: 46.46±14.53, control: 73.18±17.91), during the active phase of labor at cervical dilatation of 8-10 cm (self-hypnosis: 40.80±17.37, control: 75.12±19.40), and labor pain at cervical dilatation of 8-10 cm (self-hypnosis: 83.03±16.43, control: 95.36±10.36) were significantly lower in the self-hypnosis group compared to the control group (p<0.001 for all).

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that self-hypnosis could be a more effective intervention than usual care alone for reducing fear and pain during natural childbirth in nulliparous women.

Keywords: delivery; fear of childbirth; hypnosis; labor; pain; self-hypnosis.