Therapeutic communication to reduce anxiety during elective cesarean
Official title: CESARCOM Study Protocol: Assessing the Impact of Therapeutic Communication on Patients' Anxiety During Elective Cesarean Sections, - a Before-and-after Interventional Study
Run by University Hospital, Geneva · NCT07137377 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests whether training obstetric teams in empathy-based, hypnosis-informed communication can lower anxiety in women having elective cesarean sections.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | Women only |
| Enrollment | 260 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University Hospital, Geneva Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Geneva) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | April 14, 2025 |
| Main results expected | July 31, 2027 |
| Study ends | July 31, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | August 22, 2025 |
| Trial ID | NCT07137377 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults (≥18 years) planning an elective cesarean at the Geneva University Hospitals maternity unit who speak French and provide consent are the intended participants.
✕Probably not a fit
Non-French-speaking patients, women having emergency cesareans, or those with acute medical complications are unlikely to benefit from this intervention.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This is a single-centre, prospective before-and-after study at Geneva University Hospitals enrolling two groups of 130 elective cesarean patients each, before and after an intervention. The intervention is an asynchronous online training program (immersive podcasts and digital flashcards) for obstetric care teams teaching therapeutic communication techniques. Maternal anxiety will be measured using the French version of a validated anxiety scale (STAI) before and after the intervention period. The aim is to determine whether changing caregiver language and communication style can meaningfully reduce preoperative anxiety and related perioperative outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could experience lower preoperative anxiety and potentially improved anesthetic and postoperative outcomes without additional drugs.
How similar studies have gone: Related non-pharmacologic communication and hypnosis-based approaches have reduced anxiety in other surgical settings, but evidence specific to obstetrics remains limited.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: -≥18 years * elective c-section planned in the Maternity Unit of the Geneva University Hospitals * consent to participate Exclusion Criteria: * Not-French-speaking patients (interpreter required). * All emergency c-sections. * Death during the intervention.
Where it's running
-
Hug
Geneva, Switzerland Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Océane Pécheux
- Email: oceane.pecheux@hug.ch
- Phone: +41795535095
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.