The Effect of Group Counseling Based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Anxiety of Pregnant Women with Constipation: Clinical Trial

Introduction: Anxiety during pregnancy is a special emotional state related with different concerns during pregnancy including infant health and parturition, which is associated with an increased risk of a range of negative consequences for both mother and child. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of cognitive and behavioral therapy on the anxiety of mothers with pregnancy constipation. Methods: The present randomized clinical trial, which included 60 pregnant women with a gestational age of 10 to 20 weeks referred to two comprehensive urban health services in Takestan during 2019. Subjects were randomly divided into intervention (n=30) and control (n=30) groups. Study tools included the short form of pregnancy-related anxiety questionnaire (PRAQ-17) and a constipation assessment scale in pregnancy. Intervention included 6-week 90-minute consultation sessions (one session each week) for five groups of 6 persons. Follow-up included immediately and one and two months after session completion. Repeated measures and Chi-square analysis were used for data analysis. P-value<0.05 was considered significant. Results: The mean of pregnancy anxiety scale, immediately, one month and two months after the intervention was significant (P<0.001). In terms of time and group interaction significant difference was observed (P<0.001; F=29.776), In other words, there was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of pregnancy anxiety over time. Conclusion: The present study indicated the beneficial effect of cognitive and behavioral therapy model on the anxiety of pregnant women with constipation, and it is recommended as a non-pharmacological approach to reduce their anxiety.