The effectiveness of acupressure and dhikr in reducing anxiety in pregnant women in the third trimester

Abstract

Introduction: Anxiety can occur in pregnant women that can endanger the health of the mother and fetus if not treated. Non-pharmacological therapy to reduce anxiety includes acupressure and dhikr. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of acupressure and dhikr in reducing anxiety in third-trimester pregnant women at PMB Maulina Hasnida, M. Mkes. Methods: This study used a quasi-experimental design involving 30 third-trimester pregnant women who visited PMB Maulina Hasnida, M. Mkes in April - July 2022. In the intervention group, 15 pregnant women were given therapy acupressure and dhikr, while the control group 15 pregnant women were given standard care. Anxiety level was evaluated using the HARS questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS ver.20. Results: In the intervention group, the mean anxiety before the intervention was 3.53 and after the intervention was 2.73 (p= 0.277), while in the control group, it was 3.33 before and 3.40 after the intervention (p= 0.014). There was a significant difference in the anxiety levels before and after the intervention in the intervention group (p=0.001). There was no significant difference in the frequency of anxiety levels before and after the intervention in the control group (p= 0.655). Conclusion: There was a significant difference in anxiety levels in pregnant women in the third trimester, given a combination of acupressure with dhikr compared to standard care.