Effect of Face-to-face Contact with Infants on Pregnant Women’s Emotions and Anxiety about Infants: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Objective: To examine the effect of interaction with an infant in primiparas with no experience interacting with infants.

Method: This two-armed randomized controlled trial compared: 1) 30 minutes of interaction with the infant (face-to-face experience group); and 2) 30 minutes of watching a video on how the infant plays, breastfeeding, and the infant falling asleep (video experience group). The outcomes were the amount of change in the emotion score for approaching infants, the emotion score for avoiding infants, and the anxiety score before and after the intervention.

Results: The emotion score for approaching infants increased after the intervention for both groups; however, comparing the quantity of change, the score in the face-to-face experience group was 3.5 ± 3.5, and for the video experience group was 1.2 ± 3.6, with the quantity of change significantly greater for the face-to-face experience group with a medium effect size (t = 2.896, p = 0.01, d = 0.66). The emotion score for avoiding infants and the anxiety score decreased in both groups after the intervention; however, the quantity of change was not significantly different between the two groups (t = –1.530, p = 0.13, d = 0.34; t = –1.243, p = 0.22, d = 0.29).

Conclusion: The amount of change in the approach score was significantly higher in the face-to-face experience group. In both groups, approach scores increased and avoidance scores and state anxiety scores decreased after the intervention. Based on these results, it is necessary to create opportunities for primiparas to interact with infants.