The effect of listening to fetal heart sounds during the first stage of labour on maternal anxiety, pain, and postpartum bonding: a randomized controlled study

Purppose: This study examined the effects of listening to fetal heart sounds during the first stage of labor on maternal anxiety, pain perception, and early postpartum bonding in primiparous women. Methods: This randomized controlled study was conducted between December 2021 and January 2023 with a total of 80 primiparous women randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 40) and control (n = 40) groups. The intervention group listened to fetal heart sounds for five minutes via a Non-Stress Test (NST) device during the early (4–5 cm) and late (6–7 cm) active phases of labor, while the control group received routine care. Data were collected using the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire (PBQ), and maternal vital signs. Results: No statistically significant between-group differences were observed in anxiety, pain, or bonding scores (p > 0.05). However, with respect to the primary outcome, state anxiety increased significantly in the control group (p < 0.05), whereas anxiety levels remained stable in the intervention group. Conclusions: Listening to fetal heart sounds during labor maintained maternal anxiety at a stable level without affecting pain or bonding. This finding supports the integration of auditory interventions into woman-centered intrapartum care Trial registration: The study was retrospectively registered in National Library of Medicine Clinical Trials Registry (Date: 12.02.2021 Ref: NCT06271889)