NCT06741254

The Effect of Stress Ball on Anxiety, Comfort and Non Stress Test Parameters of Pregnant Women During Non Stress Testing

The Effect of Stress Ball on Anxiety, Comfort and Non Stress Test Parameters of Pregnant Women During Non Stress Testing: A Randomized Controlled Trial

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 70 (actual)
• Sponsor: Gaziantep Islam Science and Technology University · Academic / Other
• Sex: Female
• Age: 18 Years – 35 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Non-stress testing (NST) is used to assess fetal wellbeing and to detect and intervene early in fetuses at risk. NST is an easy to administer, noninvasive, prenatal assessment method used from 32 weeks of gestation to term. High levels of anxiety during the common NST procedure can negatively affect the test result and increase the rate of nonreactive NST, potentially leading to misinterpretation. Therefore, midwifery/nursing interventions to make the pregnant woman comfortable during the procedure and to reduce anxiety and stress are important.

Detailed description

Non-stress testing (NST) is used to assess fetal wellbeing and to detect and intervene early in fetuses at risk. NST is an easy to administer, noninvasive, prenatal assessment method used from 32 weeks of gestation to term. High levels of anxiety during the common NST procedure can negatively affect the test result and increase the rate of non-reactive NST, potentially leading to misinterpretation. Therefore, midwifery/nursing interventions to make the pregnant woman comfortable during the procedure and to reduce anxiety and stress are important. Stress ball is one of the nonpharmacological methods in the management of pain, stress and anxiety based on the logic of drawing the attention of the person to a different side and is an application for the sense of touch. In the obstetric field, there have been studies evaluating the effects of stress ball application on labor and vascular pain of pregnant women, but there is no study evaluating anxiety, comfort and NST parameters during NST.

Conditions

• Anxiety
• Comfort

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Stress Ball	During the NST procedure (average 20-30 minutes), the pregnant woman will lie on her left side. A stress ball will be placed in the right hand of the pregnant woman. The pregnant woman will be instructed to squeeze the stress ball for 2-3 seconds and then relax the hand and arm. This process will be repeated throughout the NST.

Timeline

• Start date: 2024-12-20
• Primary completion: 2025-04-20
• Completion: 2025-05-20
• First posted: 2024-12-18
• Last updated: 2026-01-16

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Turkey (Türkiye)