Effect of Antenatal of brief-CBT on fear of childbirth, prenatal attachment, and quality of life (QoL): A Quasi-Experimental Study

Background Mental health problems are common during pregnancy and are associated with maternal, fetal, and neonatal morbidity and mortality. While various interventions have been explored to address these challenges, evidence on the effectiveness of brief cognitive-behavioral techniques (CBT) for enhancing prenatal attachment and reducing fear of childbirth remains limited. So Thisstudy aimed to evaluate the effects of brief cognitive behavioral techniques on enhancing prenatal attachment, reducing fear of childbirth, and their secondary effect on the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among pregnant women attending selected hospitals in the West Arsi zone, Ethiopia in 2024. Methods A quasi-experimental study was conducted from March 1 to July 30, 2024, in selected public hospitals of the West Arsi zone, Ethiopia. A total of 117 pregnant women attending antenatal care were included (58 in the experimental and 59 in the control group). Participants in the intervention group received CBT-based counselling in a group format (8 groups with 6–8 members each), with weekly sessionsover 8 weeks.Each sessions lasted 15–30 minutes. Result The findings indicated negligible significant differences in fear of childbirth between the intervention and control groups at baseline (t = 2.802, P  <  0.05). Post-intervention, significant differences were observed between the groups in fear of childbirth (t=-3.51, P < 0.01) and depression subscales (t=-4.43, P < 0.001). However, no significant difference in the mean score was found in maternal antenatal attachment (MAAS) score during post-intervention (t=-.531, P = 0.149). Significant improvements were observed in the physical and psychological subscales of HRQOL following the intervention. Fear of childbirth ( β = -0.046), depressive symptoms ( β = -0.561), and good social support ( β  = 0.080) were significant predictors of HRQoL (P value > 0.05). Conclusion This study demonstrates that CBT-based prenatal interventions effectively reduce childbirth-related fear and improve maternal quality of life. However, the intervention showed no significant effect on maternal-fetal attachment. These findings underscore the need for a holistic approach that incorporates both cognitive techniques to address maternal mental health and targeted strategies to enhance maternal wellbeing during pregnancy.