Prenatal education based on a psychological approach can play a significant role in maternal and neonatal health. The current study aimed to determine the effect of cognitive-behavioral education on childbirth self-efficacy, childbirth fear, and adaption of maternal role among primiparous women. This quasi-experimental study included 74 primiparous women in the Tehran province of Iran. Convenience sampling was used to recruit participants, who were subsequently were divided into two groups (intervention and control). The intervention group received cognitive-behavioral education, held via eight 90-min-long sessions. Pre-test data collection occurred during participants’ 26–28th week of pregnancy via a survey tool comprising demographic questions, the Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire-A (W-DEQ-A), and the Child Birth Self-Efficacy Inventory (CBSEI). Post-test data collection occurred after the intervention period again via a survey tool comprising both the W-DEQ-A and CBSEI tools. The maternal role adaptation questionnaire was also completed two weeks and two months after the childbirth. After the intervention, a statistically significant difference was observed between the intervention and control groups in terms of the fear of childbirth, outcome expectancy, and self-efficacy expectancy (p < 0.05). Results demonstrated a medium effect size between the two groups in terms of the fear of childbirth score, and a large effect size in terms of both outcome expectancy and self-efficacy expectancy scores. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of compliance with the maternal role adaptation at either 2 weeks or 2 months after the childbirth. This cognitive-behavioral educational intervention was effective in reducing fear of childbirth and improving childbirth self-efficacy. This suggests that cognitive-behavioral educations may usefully be offered to pregnant women in addition to childbirth preparation classes.

Trial Registration IRCT.ir: IRCT20180427039436N3; Dec 31 2018. https://www.irct.ir/trial/31593