Evidence mapPaperPMID 40144029Full record

SynthesisFrontiers in psychology2025

Comparative efficacy of non-pharmacological interventions on fear of childbirth for pregnant women: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Juan Zhou, Zhengting Zhu, Ruoyu Li, Xiujing Guo, Dehua Li

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Frontiers in psychology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Juan ZhouDepartment of Nursing, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University/West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Zhengting ZhuDepartment of Nursing, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University/West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Ruoyu LiDepartment of Nursing, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University/West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Xiujing GuoDepartment of Nursing, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University/West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Dehua LiDepartment of Nursing, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University/West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objective: To explore effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions in fear of childbirth. Methods: All published literature were searched from three databases (Pubmed, Cochrane CENTRAL, and Web of Science) as of April 2024. The risk of bias of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane Systematic Review Manual 2.0 bias risk assessment tool. The primary outcome was FOC, the secondary outcomes were depression, anxiety, stress, childbirth self-efficacy, and mode of delivery. Results: This study included 32 randomized controlled trials, involving 17 interventions and 3,187 pregnant women. Compared with usual care, cognitive-behavioral therapy (SMD = -1.62, 95%CI -2.47 to -0.66), haptonomy (SMD = -1.43, 95%CI -2.63 to -0.24), motivational interview (SMD = -1.35, 95%CI -2.35 to -0.35), counseling therapy (SMD = -1.08, 95%CI -1.91 to -0.25) statistically and significantly improved fear of childbirth in gestational period. Emotional freedom technique (SMD = -3.13, 95%CI -5.00 to -1.26), counseling therapy (SMD = -1.81, 95%CI -2.97 to -0.80), haptonomy (SMD = -1.78, 95%CI -2.89 to -0.66), cognitive-behavioral therapy (SMD = -1.42, 95%CI -2.53 to -0.32), motivational interview (SMD = -1.28, 95%CI -2.37 to -0.19) statistically and significantly improved fear of childbirth in postnatal period. The cluster analysis showed that emotional freedom technique, haptonomy, motivational interview, cognitive-behavioral therapy, counseling therapy were considered to be more effective non-pharmacological interventions. Conclusion: Several non-pharmacological interventions are promising in the daily care of pregnant women with fear of childbirth. Healthcare professionals should be encouraged to apply these non-pharmacological interventions for informal caregivers of pregnant women with fear of childbirth. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO, CRD42024536944.

Indexed as

fear of childbirthFOCnetwork meta-analysisnon-pharmacological interventionspregnant women

Identifiers

PMID40144029
PMCPMC11938124

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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 Socratic graph.