Effect of “motivational interviewing” and “information, motivation, and behavioral skills” counseling interventions on choosing the mode of delivery in pregnant women: a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Cesarean section is an important surgical procedure, when normal vaginal delivery imposes a risk to mother and/or baby. The World Health Organization states the ideal rate for Cesarean section to be between 10 and 15% of all births. In recent decades, the rate has been increased dramatically worldwide. This paper explains the protocol of a randomized controlled trial that aims to compare the effect of “motivational interviewing” and “information, motivation, and behavioral skills” counseling interventions on choosing mode of delivery in pregnant women. METHODS: A four-armed, parallel-design randomized controlled trial will be conducted on pregnant women. One hundred and twenty women will be randomly assigned to four groups including three intervention groups and one control group. The intervention groups included the following: (1) motivational interviewing; (2) face-to-face information, motivation, and behavioral skills model; and (3) information, motivation, and behavioral skills model provided using a mobile application. The inclusion criteria include being literate, being in gestational age from 24 to 32 weeks, being able to speak Persian, having no complications in the current pregnancy, having no indications for Cesarean section, and having enough time to participate in the intervention. The primary outcome of the study is the mode of delivery. The secondary outcomes are women’s intention to undergo Cesarean section and women’s self-efficacy. DISCUSSION: The interventions of this protocol have been programmed to reduce unnecessary Cesarean sections. Findings may contribute to a rise in normal vaginal delivery, and the effective intervention may be extended for use in national Cesarean section plans. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Iran Randomized Clinical Trial Center IRCT20151208025431N7. Registered on December 07, 2018.