The combined effect of lavender aromatherapy and classical lullaby music on anxiety levels among women awaiting caesarean section
Abstract
Women awaiting caesarean section commonly experience preoperative anxiety, which can intensify physiological stress, reduce cooperation during preparation, and worsen postoperative recovery. Non-pharmacological interventions such as lavender aromatherapy and calming music are increasingly used as complementary approaches because they are simple, low-cost, and acceptable in maternity care. This study examined the effect of combined lavender aromatherapy and classical lullaby music on anxiety levels among women awaiting caesarean section at Kasih Utama Fatimah Hospital, Kotamobagu. A quasi-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design was used. Forty pre-caesarean section women were recruited through consecutive sampling. Anxiety was measured before and after a 30-minute combined intervention using an anxiety scale categorized into no, mild, moderate, and severe anxiety. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Before the intervention, most respondents experienced severe anxiety (87.5%), while the remaining respondents had moderate anxiety (12.5%). After the intervention, 77.5% reported no anxiety and 22.5% had mild anxiety. The Wilcoxon test showed a significant reduction in anxiety after the intervention (p < 0.001). The combined use of lavender aromatherapy and classical lullaby music significantly reduced anxiety among women awaiting caesarean section. This intervention can be considered as a supportive, non-pharmacological strategy in preoperative maternity care while further controlled studies are recommended.
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