The Effects of Telephone Support on Stress and Perceived Social Support in Primiparous Women Experiencing Nausea and Vomiting in the First Half of Pregnancy

Gestational nausea and vomiting are positively correlated with stress and stress is negatively associated with social support. Due to advances in technology, telephone has become the most accessible device for home-based support. This study aimed to determine the effects of telephone support on stress and perceived social support in primiparous women experiencing nausea and vomiting during the first half of pregnancy. This clinical trial was conducted on 60 healthy pregnant women suffering from mild nausea and vomiting in the first half of pregnancy. They were randomly assigned to intervention (n=30) and control (n=30) groups. The intervention group received social support twice a week for a period of four weeks. Each phone conversation lasted around 15-20 minutes. During these conversations, dietary and lifestyle changes during pregnancy, as well as ways to reduce fatigue and improve psycho-emotional status, were discussed. The control group received routine care. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and Visual Analogue Scale for stress. Independent t-test and paired test were performed, using SPSS version 16. No significant difference was found in the mean scores of stress in two groups at the beginning and end of the study (P=0.052). However, social support score at the beginning of the study was significantly different from that at the end of the study in both groups (P=0.036). It is recommended that telephone support be integrated into the routine care of women with nausea and vomiting in order to improve their perceived social support and decrease their stress.