Background & aim: Tokophobia is a common concern among pregnant women that can negatively affect their mental health and complicate labor. This study evaluated the effect of Peplau’s communication therapy on tokophobia, stress, and anxiety in primiparous pregnant women.
Methods: A quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design was used. Sixty nulliparous women with tokophobia from health centers in Ahvaz, South Iran, were assigned to either an experimental group, who underwent eight sessions of Peplau’s communication therapy or a control group, who received routine care only. Data were collected using Hartman’s Fear of Childbirth Scale, Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale, and Beck’s Anxiety Inventory, and analyzed using Chi-square, t-test, and ANCOVA.
Results: Before the intervention, no significant differences were found between groups in mean scores of tokophobia, stress, or anxiety, indicating homogeneity. After the intervention, the mean tokophobia score decreased to 19.10±7.80 in the experimental group compared to 29.40±6.94 in the control group (P<0.001; 95% CI: 6.48 to 14.11). Stress levels were also significantly reduced in the experimental group (20.40±5.15) compared to the control group (28.16±4.61) (P<0.001; 95% CI: -10.29 to -5.29). Similarly, anxiety scores decreased to 9.13±7.64 in the experimental group, while remaining higher at 16.16±7.55 in the control group (P<0.001; 95% CI: -9.99 to -2.04).
Conclusion: Peplau’s interpersonal communication therapy effectively reduces tokophobia, stress, and anxiety in primiparous pregnant women. Healthcare providers could consider integrating this structured communication model into routine prenatal care to improve maternal psychological outcomes.