ArticleBMC pregnancy and childbirth2020
Developing a complex intervention to support pregnant women with mild to moderate anxiety: application of the Medical Research Council framework.
Article in BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Effectiveness of preventive interventions on adolescents' depression and suicidal tendency: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Pooled it
- Cultural adaptation and psychometric evaluation of the Pregnancy-Related Anxiety Questionnaire- Revised 2 (PRAQ-R2) in the Sri Lankan setting.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2026Article
- Integration of competency needs and continuity of care learning for midwifery students based on mobile applications in Indonesia: A mixed-methods study.Belitung nursing journal · 2026Article
- A concept analysis of the term midwifery intervention: A scoping review.European journal of midwifery · 2026Review
- Positive Mental Health, Anxiety and Prenatal Bonding: A Contextual Approach.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Systematic description of the development of a complex health intervention of information and support in a new pregnancy after pregnancy loss.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Care for women in the pregnancy-puerperium cycle from the perspective of health professionals in the light of complexity thinking.Revista latino-americana de enfermagem · 2025Article
- Educational interventions targeting pregnant women to optimise the use of caesarean section: What are the essential elements? A qualitative comparative analysis.BMC public health · 2023Article
- Efforts and expectations of pregnant women against the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic: a phenomenological study.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2023Article
- Article
- Developing a training programme for midwives and maternity support workers facilitating a novel intervention to support women with anxiety in pregnancy.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2022Review
- The Use of Massage to Support Emotional and Physical Health in a Pregnancy After Stillbirth: a Case Study.International journal of therapeutic massage & bodywork · 2022Article
- Meaning of the spiritual aspects of health care in pregnancy and childbirth.Revista latino-americana de enfermagem · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundTo design and develop an intervention to support women with symptoms of mild to moderate anxiety in pregnancy.
methodsThe development followed the MRC framework for complex interventions, utilising psychological theory, review level evidence and professional and public involvement. Two systematic reviews were completed which helped identify potentially beneficial intervention components. The theory underpinning the components was explored to consider the potential benefit for women with mild to moderate anxiety symptoms in pregnancy. Methods of delivering the intervention within maternity services were explored. The intervention comprised: group discussions, one to one support and assisted self-help resources. Midwives were identified as ideally placed to facilitate the intervention supported by midwifery support workers. A bespoke training package was provided by subject experts to prepare the facilitators.
resultsThe absence of established interventions and a paucity of evidence based approaches for pregnant women with symptoms of mild to moderate anxiety indicated the need for a rigorous and systematic approach to the intervention design. This approach led to the development of an intervention feasible for implementation in maternity care systems tailored to the needs of pregnant women. The involvement of a multi-professional advisory team and active engagement of service users helped to consider the acceptability of the intervention for women and the feasibility of delivering the intervention in the context of maternity care.
conclusionThe MRC Framework provided useful overarching guidance to develop a midwife facilitated intervention for women with symptoms of anxiety in pregnancy. The framework assisted the development of a robust rationale for each intervention component and considered the processes of evaluation and implementation into maternity care systems.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.