title: Antenatal hypnosis training and childbirth experience: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Childbirth is a demanding event in a woman's life. The aim of this study was to explore whether a brief intervention in the form of an antenatal course in self-hypnosis to ease childbirth could improve the childbirth experience.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a randomized, controlled, single-blinded trial, 1,222 healthy nulliparous women were allocated to one of three groups during pregnancy: A hypnosis group participating in three 1-hour sessions teaching self-hypnosis to ease childbirth, a relaxation group receiving three 1-hour lessons in various relaxation methods and Mindfulness, and a usual care group receiving ordinary antenatal care only. Wijmas Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire (W-DEQ) was used to measure the childbirth experience 6 weeks postpartum.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The intention-to-treat analysis indicated that women in the hypnosis group experienced their childbirth as better compared with the other two groups (mean W-DEQ score of 42.9 in the Hypnosis group, 47.2 in the Relaxation group, and 47.5 in the Care as usual group (p = 0.01)). The tendency toward a better childbirth experience in the hypnosis group was also seen in subgroup analyses for mode of delivery and for levels of fear.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this large randomized controlled trial, a brief course in self-hypnosis improved the women's childbirth experience.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Aarhus University Hospital Skejby, Aarhus N, Denmark.
authors.forename: Anette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Werner
authors.forename: Niels
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Uldbjerg
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zachariae
authors.forename: Chun Sen
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Ellen A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Nohr
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006990:Hypnosis / Q000379:methods*; D057194:Intention to Treat Analysis; D064866:Mindfulness; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D012064:Relaxation Therapy; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: antenatal training; childbirth; childbirth experience; hypnosis; relaxation