Effectiveness of Family-centred Antenatal Care and Counselling on Anxiety Among Pregnant Women

Background: Antenatal anxiety is common and associated with adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes, yet psychological support remains insufficient in many antenatal care settings. Family-centred antenatal counselling, where partners or key family members are actively involved, has shown potential in strengthening emotional support and improving maternal psychological wellbeing. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a structured family-centred antenatal care and counselling program in reducing anxiety among pregnant women. Methods: A true experimental, randomised, controlled trial with a post-test-only design was conducted among 204 antenatal women recruited from the Obstetrics and Gynaecology outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital in South India. Participants were randomly allocated to experimental ( n = 91) and control ( n = 85) groups. The experimental group received five structured family-centred counselling sessions from 6 to 36 weeks of gestation, while the control group received routine antenatal care. Anxiety was assessed between 36 and 40 weeks using the Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale. Results: Baseline demographic variables were comparable between groups except for the type of family ( P < 0.05). A significant reduction in anxiety was observed in the experimental group, with 87.91% reporting minimal anxiety compared to 38.82% in the control group. Mild-to-moderate anxiety (9.89% vs. 47.06%) and severe anxiety (2.20% vs. 14.12%) were markedly lower in the intervention group. The difference was statistically significant ( χ ² = 68.52, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Family-centred antenatal counselling substantially reduced anxiety among pregnant women compared with routine care. Integrating structured, partner-inclusive counselling into standard antenatal services may enhance maternal emotional well-being and strengthen family support during pregnancy.