The Effect of Watching Cat Videos on Non-Stress Test Results And Stress Parameters in Pregnant Women

NCT07332039 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: IstanbulUC-EBE-RD-02
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 50
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Pregnancy is a period in which women are physiologically and psychologically vulnerable, and the stress experienced can affect both maternal mental health and fetal well-being. The non-stress test (NST), used to assess fetal health in the final weeks of pregnancy, can cause anxiety in some women because it requires the mother to remain supine and immobile for extended periods. Prolonged testing or non-reactive results can also increase this stress. Therefore, simple methods are needed to reduce stress during NST. Humorous and cute content, especially animal videos, is known to promote positive emotions and psychological relaxation. This study evaluated the effects of watching cat videos during NST on stress levels and fetal physiological parameters in primiparous pregnant women.

Conditions

Maternal Stress; Fetal Well-Being

Keywords

Fetal Well-Being; Maternal Stress; Cat Videos

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• The effect of watching cat videos on stress parameters in pregnant women

  Participants randomly assigned to the intervention group will be taken to a designated room determined by the researcher before the NST for their initial measurements. The "Pregnant Women Demographic Information Form" and the "State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI Form TX-1)" will be administered. Blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation, cortisol, and ACTH levels will be measured. All physiological measurements except ACTH and cortisol will be performed at three time points: before the NST (2 minutes before start), in the middle of the NST (approximately 10 minutes), and after the NST (2 minutes after completion). The "State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI Form TX-1)" will also be administered after the NST. Following the NST, satisfaction levels will also be assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS).

  This procedure will be performed during the NST for pregnant women experiencing their first pregnancy and who are between weeks 34 and 40 of gestation.

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• The effect of watching cat videos on physiological parameters of the fetus

  This procedure will be performed during the NST for pregnant women experiencing their first pregnancy and who are between weeks 34 and 40 of gestation.

Study Arms (2)

Control Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants randomly assigned to the control group will also rest in a private room for 10 minutes, after which all initial measurements will be taken. A routine NST will then be performed.

Behavioral: Non-Video Watching Group

Intervention group

EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral: Group watching cat videos

Interventions

Group watching cat videos BEHAVIORAL

The cat video, which will be shown to pregnant women as part of the study, will be implemented as an intervention to reduce participants' stress levels during the NST. The NST session takes approximately 20 minutes, and the video will be played for this duration. The content of the video will be carefully selected to create a relaxing and entertaining effect on the audience. Participants will begin watching the video immediately after connecting to the NST device and will continue to watch throughout the NST. This process aims to calm participants, reduce stress levels, and promote overall relaxation.

Intervention group

Non-Video Watching Group BEHAVIORAL

Participants randomly assigned to the control group will also rest for 10 minutes in a private room and all initial measurements will be taken.

Control Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Pregnant women who are primiparous,
• Able to communicate in Turkish,
• In their 34th-40th weeks of pregnancy,
• Have no problems that would prevent them from viewing visual or auditory materials,
• Have the cognitive ability to understand interactive video content,
• Have not engaged in physical exercise for at least 2 hours prior to fetal heart rate monitoring will be included in the study.

You may not qualify if:

• Pregnant women with multiple pregnancies,
• Uterine contractions detected during NST,
• Diagnosed with a high-risk pregnancy (preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, placenta previa, etc.),
• A phobia of cats (ailurophobia),
• Pregnant women who became pregnant using assisted reproductive technologies (ART),
• Have a history of a diagnosed endocrinological (e.g., hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, Cushing's syndrome) or psychiatric (e.g., anxiety disorder, depression) disease will be excluded from the study.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa: lead

Study Sites (1)

Istanbul University- Cerrahpasa

Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

Central Study Contacts

Rukiye Duman Research assistant

CONTACT

+90 5530315895; rukiye.duman@iuc.edu.tr

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: CARE PROVIDER
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Research assistant

Model Details: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 8, 2025
• First Posted: January 12, 2026
• Study Start: January 25, 2026
• Primary Completion: February 2, 2026
• Study Completion: February 5, 2026
• Last Updated: February 11, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-01

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)