A True Experimental Evaluation of Aromatherapy for Reducing Anxiety in Primigravid Mothers

Anxiety is a frequent concern among primigravid mothers and, if prolonged, may trigger neurohormonal stress responses leading to depression, fatigue, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Non-pharmacological methods such as aromatherapy offer safe alternatives. This study evaluated the effectiveness of lavender aromatherapy in reducing anxiety among primigravid mothers. A true experimental pre- and post-test design was conducted in Karwandiya, Rohtas, Bihar, with 60 mothers randomly assigned to study (n=30) and control (n=30) groups. Anxiety was assessed using the Hamilton Anxiety Scale. The study group received lavender oil aromatherapy (1–2 drops inhaled twice daily and placed under the pillow overnight) for seven days, while the control group received routine care. At baseline, 43.3% of the study group had moderate anxiety and 56.7% severe anxiety; post-intervention, 86.7% reported mild and 13.3% moderate anxiety, with no severe cases. Paired t-test confirmed a significant reduction (t=11.383, p=0.0001). The control group showed no significant change (t=1.488, p=0.148). No associations were found between anxiety reduction and demographic or obstetrical variables. Findings suggest lavender aromatherapy is a simple, safe, and cost-effective approach to reduce antenatal anxiety and can be incorporated into routine care to improve maternal psychological well-being.