Effect of meditation and prenatal education on fear and confidence in vaginal delivery

Objectives To evaluate the synergistic effect of meditation and relaxation techniques combined with prenatal multimedia health education on reducing fear of childbirth, enhancing childbirth confidence, and improving postpartum outcomes in women undergoing vaginal delivery. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted at a single tertiary hospital from February 2021 and February 2024. A total of 212 women who underwent vaginal delivery were included, with 102 in the treatment group receiving meditation, relaxation techniques, and multimedia health education alongside standard prenatal care, and 110 in the control group receiving only standard prenatal care. Clinical data collected included fear of childbirth scores (W-DEQ), confidence scores (CBSEI), anxiety levels (S-AI), depression scores (SDS, EPDS), and labor duration. Statistical analyses compared these measures between groups at different stages of pregnancy and postpartum. Results Labor duration did not significantly differ between groups ( p > 0.05). At 36 weeks of pregnancy, the treatment group had significantly lower W-DEQ scores (48.85 ± 6.22 vs. 59.35 ± 6.47; p < 0.001) and S-AI scores (51.64 ± 1.08 vs. 58.63 ± 1.04; p < 0.001), and higher CBSEI scores (7.88 ± 1.41 vs. 5.17 ± 1.62; p < 0.001). Postpartum, the treatment group showed higher GCQ (92.77 ± 1.65 vs. 86.53 ± 1.27; p < 0.001) and LAS scores (175.61 ± 16.53 vs. 117.34 ± 13.24; p < 0.001), along with lower EPDS scores (4.08 ± 1.22 vs. 5.26 ± 1.54; p < 0.001). No significant differences were observed in adverse reactions between groups ( p > 0.05). Conclusion Integrating meditation, relaxation techniques, and prenatal multimedia health education significantly reduces fear of childbirth, boosts childbirth confidence, and alleviates postpartum depression, without increasing adverse reactions. This approach is clinically beneficial for improving maternal mental health.