The effect of counseling on women's coping with unplanned pregnancy.

INTRODUCTION: The responses to a life-changing event can be different. The study aimed to determine the effect of counseling on coping strategies among women facing unplanned pregnancy. METHODS: This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 70 unplanned pregnant women with a gestational age <10 weeks, who scored ≥ 15 in the avoidance pattern of Revised Prenatal Coping Inventory (NU-PCI). The participants were randomly assigned into the intervention and control groups. Three counseling sessions were held for the intervention group. Data were gathered using questionnaires of the women's perceptions of unplanned pregnancy, decision-making style and strategies, NU-PCI, and the checklist for the type of decision. Independent t-tests, ANCOVA, and Chi-square were used. RESULTS: After intervention, the mean score of the avoidance pattern in the intervention group was significantly lower than that in the control group [AMD: - 4.35, 95% CI: -8.7 to -0.13, P=0.03]. In addition, the continuation rate of pregnancy in the intervention group, 28 subjects (80%), was significantly higher than that in the control group, 21 (60%) (P = 0.03). CONCLUSION: The counseling leads to a decrease in the use of avoidance strategies among women facing unplanned pregnancies. Development of supportive interventions for women experiencing unplanned pregnancies is recommended specially in societies with induced abortion restrictions.

Childbirth experience, maternal functioning and mental health: how are they related?

INTRODUCTION: Childbirth experience is shaped by the labor and delivery process. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between childbirth experience, subsequent postpartum maternal functioning and mental health. METHODS: A total of 483 mothers in the first 4-16 weeks postpartum participated in this cross-sectional study. The cluster random sampling method was used to select the participants. The Questionnaire for Assessing the Childbirth Experience, Mental Health Inventory, and the Barkin Index of Maternal Functioning were completed through interviews. RESULTS: The mean childbirth experience, mental health, and maternal functioning scores were 1.6 (0.4), 79.1 (15.0), and 97.4 (13.0), respectively. There was a significant correlation between the total mental health and maternal functioning scores and all its subscales with childbirth experience scores (P<0.001). Results from the general linear model pointed to a significant correlation between maternal functioning and childbirth experience (P<0.001), as well as between receiving support for infant care (P<0.001) and family income adequacy (P=0.006). Mental health was also significantly correlated with childbirth experience (P<0.001), complete life satisfaction (P<0.001), and receiving support for infant care (P=0.025). CONCLUSION: Supportive care provision services may improve mothers' birth experiences, which leads to enhanced postpartum maternal functioning and mental health.

The effect of prenatal counseling on breastfeeding self-efficacy and frequency of breastfeeding problems in mothers with previous unsuccessful breastfeeding: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Breastfeeding is one of the most important interfering factors in infants' health. Monitoring mothers' performance and providing them with the feedback helps to increase their self-efficacy, interest in learning, and level of performance. The present research evaluates the effect of prenatal counseling on the breastfeeding self-efficacy and frequency of breastfeeding problems in mothers with previous unsuccessful breastfeeding. METHODS: This randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on 108 pregnant women with unsuccessful breastfeeding in Tabriz health centers during 2017-2018. The participants were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. The intervention group had four prenatal counseling sessions and the controls only received routine care. Then, the mothers who gave birth to their children received a counseling session up to 4 months after the delivery. The Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy (BSES) questionnaire and the frequency of breast feeding problems checklist on the 15th day, and 2nd and 4th month were completed both by the intervention and control groups. RESULTS: The mean (SD) of breastfeeding self-efficacy was 119.3 (10.5), 128.3 (8.3) and 133.8 (10.3) in the intervention group and 105.3 (16.1), 105.7 (19.7) and 109.4 (24.7) in the control group on the 15th day, 2nd and 4th month after the delivery, respectively. There was a significant difference in terms of breastfeeding self-efficacy between intervention and control group on the 15th day (p <  0.001), and 2nd (p <  0.001) and 4th (p <  0.001) month after the delivery. The frequency of breastfeeding problems on the 15th (p = 0.008), 2nd (p <  0.001) and 4th (p <  0.001) after the delivery was significantly different in most cases of the intervention group when compared to the controls. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that prenatal counseling can increase mothers' breastfeeding self-efficacy and solves most breastfeeding problems during postpartum period. TRIAL REGISTRATION: IRCT20100109003027N19.

Effect of prenatal counseling on exclusive breastfeeding frequency and infant weight gain in mothers with previous unsuccessful breastfeeding: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

Introduction: Breastfeeding counseling and mother support provision positively affect the duration of exclusive breastfeeding and infant growth and development. This study aimed to determine the effect of prenatal counseling on the frequency of exclusive breastfeeding and infant weight gain in mothers with previous unsuccessful breastfeeding.Methods: This was a randomized clinical trial on 108 pregnant women who visited the healthcare centers in Tabriz-Iran from November 2017 to May 2018. Participants were randomly allocated either to an intervention or a control group. The intervention group received four breastfeeding counseling sessions in the third trimester, whereas the control group merely received routine care. Counseling was offered to mothers until day 15, 2 months and the end of the month 4 postpartum, in case of experiencing any problem. A researcher-made breastfeeding performance checklist was completed by the groups on three occasions (p < .05 considered as the significance level).Findings: The frequency of exclusive breastfeeding in the intervention group was 75.9, 72.2, and 72.2% on day 15, and 2 and 4 months postpartum, respectively. It was 31.5, 16.7, and 16.7% in the control group, respectively. The probability of exclusive breastfeeding on day 15, month 2, and month 4 was significantly higher in the intervention group. The mean infant weight on day 15 postpartum was significant in the intervention group (mean difference = 112.2; 95% confidence interval = 29.8-194.5; p = .008). No statistically significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of infant weight gain in months 2 (p = .221) and 4 (p = .128) postpartum.Result: The results of the study showed that pregnancy counseling increases the frequency of exclusive breastfeeding in mothers.