Mental Well-Being of Primigravida Receiving Progressive Muscle Relaxation as Part of Midwifery Care in the Third Trimester

Abstract

This study explored the mental well-being of primigravida women receiving progressive
muscle relaxation (PMR) as part of midwifery care in the third trimester. This study used a
qualitative-dominant mixed-methods case study involving five purposively selected participants.
Interviews, observations, and midwifery records provided qualitative data, supported by
descriptive pre-intervention and post-intervention Mental Health Continuum–Short Form (MHC
SF) scores. Four weekly PMR sessions were delivered from 25 July to 15 August 2025, and the posttest was conducted on 22 August, seven days after the final session. Participants described emotional vulnerability before PMR and greater relaxation, improved coping, and increased readiness for childbirth afterward. All five participants had higher post-intervention scores. Mean MHC-SF scores increased from 39.4 to 65.0, with individual increases of 24–31 points. PMR delivered within midwifery care was followed by higher reported mental well-being and positive participant experiences. These findings support further investigation but do not establish effectiveness or causality because the study included five participants without a comparison group.