ReviewEuropean journal of midwifery2025
The role of antenatal education on maternal self-efficacy, fear of childbirth, and birth outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Review in European journal of midwifery, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 23 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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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
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Who cites it
23 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- The effect of antenatal interventions on breastfeeding self-efficacy of first-time mothers: a systematic review.International breastfeeding journal · 2025Pooled it
- Trial
- Beyond medical indications: exploring nonclinical cesarean section from healthcare providers' perspectives in southeast Iran.BMC health services research · 2026Article
- Factors Associated With Low Vaginal Birth Self-Efficacy Among High-Risk Pregnant Women.Maternal-fetal medicine (Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.) · 2026Article
- Prevalence, indications, and preference of caesarean section deliveries among women attending primary health care units in Port-Said City, Egypt.The Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association · 2026Article
- Virtual, Augmented, Mixed, and Immersive Technologies for Prenatal and Childbirth Education: Scoping Review.JMIR pediatrics and parenting · 2026Review
- Factors associated with normal childbirth in Bangladesh: insights from BDHS 2022.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Effect of midwife-led planned education on psychosocial health and obstetric outcomes among pregnant women in rural areas during the COVID-19 pandemic: a quasi-experimental study.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2026Article
- Effects of Watson's Human Caring Theory-based nursing care on fear of childbirth and birth experience: a randomized controlled trial.BMC nursing · 2026Article
- The relationship between pregnant women's perception of traumatic birth and their vaginal birth self-efficacy: a cross-sectional study.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2026Article
- Nursing-led childbirth preparedness sessions: enhancing self-efficacy and maternal outcomes among primiparous women.BMC nursing · 2026Article
- Factors associated with fear of childbirth among pregnant adolescents in Northeastern Thailand: A cross-sectional study.European journal of midwifery · 2026Article
- Effects of internet-based supportive intervention on knowledge, pregnancy stress, fear of childbirth, and pregnancy outcomes in primiparas.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Article
- The Effectiveness of a Prenatal Educational Programme on Fear of Childbirth Among Primigravida Women:Sultan Qaboos University medical journal · 2026Article
- Article
- The impact of Swanson's theory of caring on self-efficacy and pregnancy outcomes of primiparous women.Pakistan journal of medical sciences · 2025Article
- Pregnancy variables that impact postpartum quality of life: a multicenter prospective study.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- The effectiveness of nurse-led antenatal education on maternal self-efficacy: an evidence-based approach.BMC nursing · 2025Article
- The impact of the LactApp m-Health tool on breastfeeding self-efficacy: a mixed methods study among Filipino mothers.Women's health nursing (Seoul, Korea) · 2025Article
- Effects of antenatal education on maternal anxiety and depression in pregnancy and postpartum period in Italy: modest and transient symptom reductions.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
19 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionAntenatal education programs aim to prepare expectant mothers for childbirth and early parenthood. This meta-analysis assessed the impact of these programs on maternal psychological outcomes and birth experiences, focusing on childbirth self-efficacy, fear of childbirth, and maternal and neonatal outcomes, including rates of vaginal delivery, cesarean section, Apgar scores, and birth weight.
methodsA systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, SCOPUS, and Cochrane Library until July 2024. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing antenatal education to standard care were included. Data were synthesized using meta-analysis with standardized mean differences (SMD) for continuous outcomes and risk ratios (RR) for dichotomous outcomes.
resultsForty studies were reviewed, with 31 eligible for meta-analysis. Among 1116 pregnant women, antenatal education significantly increased childbirth self-efficacy (SMD=2.00; 95% CI: 1.06-2.95, p<0.0001) and decreased fear of childbirth (SMD= -1.26; 95% CI: -1.79 - -0.74, p<0.00001). Maternal outcomes showed higher vaginal delivery rates (RR=1.10; 95% CI: 1.04-1.16, p=0.0004) and lower cesarean rates (RR=0.80; 95% CI: 0.70-0.92, p=0.001). No significant differences were found in episiotomy rates, Apgar scores, or birth weight.
conclusionsAntenatal education improves maternal psychological outcomes and promotes vaginal delivery. However, high heterogeneity and potential bias in the studies limit generalizability. More research is needed on long-term impacts and effectiveness in low-resource settings.
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