Objective: Anxiety felt before and during childbirth can have negative effects on maternal and infant health. Music interven-tions during labor have been shown to mitigate the effects of anxiety in a variety of populations. It is a low-cost and easily accessible technique that also has a high level of acceptability. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of listening to music on the vital signs of women during a cesarean section (C-section) and their level of anxiety.
Materials and Methods: This was a single-center, controlled, randomized study. The pregnant women in the intervention group listened to Sufi music via earphones during the operation. The control group received standard treatment without music. The C-section was performed under regional anesthesia in all cases. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was administered to the patients before and after the procedure.
Results: There was no significant difference in the vital sign parameters of the music group and the control group (p>0.05). The preoperative STAI anxiety score was similar in the music (45.58±4.60) and control (43.82±4.33) groups (p=0.183). However, after the operation, the anxiety score of the music group (35.88±5.39) was statistically significantly lower than that of the anxiety score of the control group (42.14±3.75) (p<0.001).
Conclusion: The women who listened to Sufi music during a C-section reported less anxiety. Slow, rhythmic music can distract the patient, help them relax, and reduce their anxiety.