Effect of Guided Imagery of Maternal Role on Depression Anxiety and Stress in Nulliparous Women with Unplanned Pregnancy

Background: nulliparous women with unplanned pregnancies experience more anxiety than women with planned pregnancies and may jeopardize positive mother-infant interaction and maternal role attainment. So the aim of this study was to determine the effect of guided imagery of maternal role on depression, anxiety and stress in nulliparous women with unplanned pregnancy.Methods: In this clinical trial 67 nulliparous women with unplanned pregnancy were randomly divided into intervention(n=35) and control(n=32) groups. The research tools included: demographic questionnaire, London, DASS 21, Canley’s maternal-fetal attachment. In the intervention group, one session of guided imagery on maternal role was performed in 34th week of pregnancy in groups of 4-7, afterwards guided imagery CDs were given to the mothers to be performed at home twice a week for two weeks; the control group only received the routine care. Depression - anxiety and stress were measured before the intervention and 2 weeks after the intervention. To analyze the data, independent t-test, paired t-test, chi-squared, Fisher’s exact test and Mann-Whitney U tests were run using SPSS version 21.Results: There was no significant difference in mean scores of depression, anxiety and stress in the two groups before intervention (p=0.275) But after intervention there was a significant difference in mean scores of depression, anxiety and stress (p <0.001).Conclusion: Guided imagery can control depression, anxiety and stress in pregnant women. It is recommended to use this method in prenatal care.

کلیدواژه ها:

Depression ، Anxiety ، Stress ، guided imagery ، unplanned Pregnancy