Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, cilt.26, sa.1, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Background : Elective cesarean section rates continue to rise worldwide, and women frequently experience preoperative fear and anxiety, which negatively affect perioperative outcomes, pain perception, and postpartum recovery. Non-pharmacological interventions such as relaxation exercises are increasingly encouraged to support maternal well-being and improve surgical outcomes. Aim : The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of Jacobson’s progressive relaxation exercise on primigravida women’s surgical fear, anxiety, postpartum comfort, and pain levels. Method : This two-group parallel randomized controlled study was conducted with a total of 68 primigravida women, 34 in the experimental and control groups. Women in the experimental group were given information and two sessions of progressive relaxation exercise before cesarean surgery. The control group received routine institutional care. The State Anxiety Scale, Surgical Fear Scale, Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and Postpartum Comfort Scale were used in data collection. Results : Women in the experimental group showed a significant reduction in preoperative state anxiety scores after the intervention (from 44.32 ± 2.78 to 31.02 ± 4.33), whereas anxiety scores increased in the control group (from 43.97 ± 4.40 to 48.38 ± 3.10), with a significant between-group difference (p < 0.001; Cohen’s d = 4.62). Similarly, total surgical fear scores decreased significantly in the experimental group (54.82 ± 3.64) compared with the control group (76.76 ± 3.65) after the intervention (p < 0.001; Cohen’s d = 6.02). Postoperative pain scores measured by the VAS were lower in the experimental group than in the control group (6.08 ± 0.62 vs. 6.55 ± 0.61; p = 0.002). In addition, postpartum comfort scores were significantly higher in the experimental group compared with the control group (4.07 ± 0.36 vs. 3.12 ± 0.19; p < 0.001). Conclusion : It was determined that information and progressive relaxation exercise applications applied before cesarean surgery reduced preoperative fear and anxiety, reduced postoperative pain and increased postpartum comfort. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06708585. Registered retrospectively on 24 November 2024.