Fear of childbirth, nonurgent obstetric interventions, and newborn outcomes: A randomized controlled trial comparing mindfulness‐based childbirth and parenting with enhanced care as usual

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether mindfulness‐based childbirth and parenting (MBCP) or enhanced care as usual (ECAU) for expectant couples decreases fear of childbirth (FOC) and nonurgent obstetric interventions during labor and improves newborn outcomes. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Midwifery settings, the Netherlands, April 2014‐July 2017. POPULATION: Pregnant women with high FOC (n = 141) and partners. METHODS: Allocation to MBCP or ECAU. Hierarchical multilevel and intention‐to‐treat (ITT) and per‐protocol (PP) analyses. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary: pre‐/postintervention FOC, labor anxiety disorder, labor pain (catastrophizing and acceptance), and preferences for nonurgent obstetric interventions. Secondary: rates of epidural analgesia (EA), self‐requested cesarean birth (sCB), unmedicated childbirth, and 1‐ and 5‐minute newborn's Apgar scores. RESULTS: MBCP was significantly superior to ECAU in decreasing FOC, catastrophizing of labor pain, preference for nonurgent obstetric interventions, and increasing acceptance of labor pain. MBCP participants were 36% less likely to undergo EA (RR 0.64, 95% CI [0.43‐0.96]), 51% less likely to undergo sCB (RR 0.49, 95% CI [0.36‐0.67]), and twice as likely to have unmedicated childbirth relative to ECAU (RR 2.00, 95% CI [1.23‐3.20]). Newborn's 1‐minute Apgar scores were higher in MBCP (DM −0.39, 95% CI [−0.74 to −0.03]). After correction for multiple testing, results remained significant in ITT and PP analyses, except EA in ITT analyses and 1‐minute Apgar. CONCLUSIONS: MBCP for pregnant couples reduces mothers’ fear of childbirth, nonurgent obstetric interventions during childbirth and may improve childbirth outcomes. MBCP adapted for pregnant women with high FOC and their partners appears an acceptable and effective intervention for midwifery care.