The Effect of the Use of Rose Aromatherapy and Deep Breath Relaxation on Anxiety in Pregnant Women in the First Trimester

Abstract

Anxiety in pregnant women in the first trimester is a common psychological problem caused by physical, hormonal, and emotional changes during pregnancy. This condition can negatively impact the health of the mother and fetus if not managed appropriately. One non-pharmacological therapy that can be used to reduce anxiety is a combination of rose aromatherapy and deep breathing relaxation. This study aimed to determine the effect of rose aromatherapy and deep breathing relaxation on anxiety in pregnant women in the first trimester at the Pratama Bunda Setia Clinic. This study used a quantitative method with a quasi-experimental design using a non-equivalent pretest-posttest control group design. The study sample consisted of 30 respondents, divided into an intervention group and a control group using a purposive sampling technique. Anxiety levels were measured using the Pregnancy-Related Anxiety Questionnaire-Revised 2 (PRAQ-R2). Data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test and the Mann–Whitney U Test. The results showed that the average anxiety score in the intervention group decreased from 37.67 to 20.00, while in the control group, it decreased from 37.67 to 34.33. The Wilcoxon test showed a significant decrease in the intervention group (p = 0.001), while the Mann–Whitney test showed a significant difference between the intervention and control groups after the intervention (p < 0.001). It was concluded that the combination of rose aromatherapy and deep breathing relaxation was effective in reducing anxiety levels in pregnant women in the first trimester.