Efficacy of an Early Self-care-Based Education Program on the Self-evaluation of Primiparous Postpartum Mothers: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Abstract

Background: During the postpartum period, due to the lack of knowledge about postpartum complications and care, women, especially primiparous women, lack the adequate skills to adapt to new conditions and have no confidence to care for themselves and their infants. The early mothers' assessment, education, counseling, and nursing interventions can increase their adaptation and reduce their incompatible responses to their infant and partner. Objectives: This study aimed to examine the effect of early self-care based education program on primiparous women’s self-evaluation. Methods: A randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted from May to October 2018 on 58 primiparous women referred to the Neonatal Screening Center in Karaj (IRAN). A random allocation method was applied to select intervention and control groups. The data were collected using a three-part questionnaire consisting of general, developmental, and health deviation postpartum evaluation made by researchers. The intervention group received three education sessions throughout the 3 - 5, 10 - 15, and 17 - 22 days after childbirth. The control group received routine postpartum care. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics (such as mean, standard deviation, and absolute frequency) and statistical tests (including t-test, paired t-test, and chi-square) or non-parametric statistical tests (e.g., the Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney test) using SPSS version 19. Results: Before the intervention, there was no statistically significant difference in the mean total self-evaluation scores between the intervention (131.269 ± 12.742) and control (137 ± 9.600) groups (P-value = 0.073), but six weeks after delivery, a significant difference was observed in the mean self-evaluation scores between the intervention (149.692 ± 7.625) and control (122.923 ± 11.495) groups (P-value < 0.001). Conclusions: The results of this study showed that early self-care education program was effective for primiparous women's self-evaluation and increased the postpartum adaptation of the women.