Reducing worry and enhancing knowledge in relation to pregnancy and childbirth complications: Impact of an online antenatal education session

BACKGROUND: Although pregnant women often worry about potential adverse pregnancy outcomes, pregnancy and childbirth complications are not adequately addressed during antenatal classes because of concerns about increasing anxiety and fear. AIM: To evaluate the impact of a novel online antenatal education session on worry, anxiety, and knowledge. The 30-minute video addressed three possible pregnancy and childbirth complications: prematurity, newborn adaptation difficulties, and perinatal death. METHODS: Quasi-experimental pre-post-test design with a non-equivalent control group. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: 15 Spanish health centres in Cantabria and Galicia. Pregnant women were sent an email with a link to an online video and questionnaire (experimental group, n = 138) or questionnaire only (control group, n = 139). FINDINGS: Post-online session, a statistically significant improvement was observed, with a moderate-to-large effect size, in the Cambridge Worry Scale score (r = 0.395), in the item "worry about the possibility of something being wrong with the baby" (r= 0.320), and in participants' knowledge of how to prevent and cope with newborn adaptation difficulties, prematurity and stillbirth (r = 0.408-0.573). The anxiety score (STAI-S) did not change significantly. At 15 days, worry remained lower and perceived knowledge was still higher. The control group's knowledge was lower than the experimental group's. Of the 277 participants, only 3 (1.1%) 'disagreed' that information on pregnancy and childbirth complications should be included in antenatal classes. CONCLUSIONS: Although further research is needed, antenatal education on pregnancy and childbirth complications-delivered with a sensitive, non-alarming approach and evidence-based coping and preventing strategies-may enhance pregnant women's preparedness and psychological resilience.