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The Effect of Counselling on Depression and Anxiety of Women with Unplanned Pregnancy: A Randomized Controlled Trial

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Abstract

This randomized controlled trial was conducted on 80 Iranian pregnant women with unplanned pregnancy. The participants were randomly assigned to two groups of intervention and control. The intervention group received one to three sessions of individual counseling and six sessions of group counseling each week in six consecutive weeks, and the control group received routine care. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory were completed by the participants before and 4 weeks after the intervention. There was no significant difference between groups in terms of socio-demographic characteristics, and the baseline depression and anxiety scores (P > 0.05). The depression and anxiety scales were completed before and 4 weeks after the intervention. The mean scores of depression, state anxiety, and trait anxiety were significantly lower in the counseling group than in the control group 4 weeks after the end of intervention. It is recommended that counseling should be provided for women with unplanned pregnancy.

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Acknowledgements

The author would like to express her sincere gratitude to the Deputy for Research and Technology of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, as well as the Deputy Director of Research and Technology in Ardebil, the Deputy of Health Care in Ardebil, the health centers and bases and the relevant staff, as well as the women participating in the study.

Funding

This study was funded by Tabriz University of Medical Sciences.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Students’ Research Committee, Nursing and Midwifery Faculty, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

    Fatemeh Ekrami

  2. Associate Professor, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

    Sakineh Mohammad-Alizadeh Charandabi

  3. Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

    Jalil Babapour Kheiroddin

  4. Associate Professor, Social Determinants of Health Research Centre, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

    Mojgan Mirghafourvand

  5. Midwifery Department, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

    Mojgan Mirghafourvand

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  1. Fatemeh Ekrami
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  2. Sakineh Mohammad-Alizadeh Charandabi
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  3. Jalil Babapour Kheiroddin
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  4. Mojgan Mirghafourvand
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Correspondence to Mojgan Mirghafourvand.

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Ekrami, F., Mohammad-Alizadeh Charandabi, S., Babapour Kheiroddin, J. et al. The Effect of Counselling on Depression and Anxiety of Women with Unplanned Pregnancy: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Community Ment Health J 55, 1047–1056 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-019-00428-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-019-00428-2

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