The effect of music on nonstress test

ABSTRACT The Effect of Music on Nonstress Test This study was conducted as quasi-experimental with post-test control group in order to determine the effect of music listened by pregnant women during nonstress test on the results of the test. The population of the study is formed by women that applied to the polyclinic of NST who experienced at least one of live birth, had NST before and whose gestational week was greater than 33. The sample was formed by a total of 96 (48 experimental and 48 control group) pregnants who met the study criteria, who were at 0.5 effect size and 95% confidence interval with a 5% of margin of error according to the performed power analysis and who had to power to represent the population with a ratio of 98%. The study was conducted at Adıyaman University Training Research Hospital NST polyclinic between June 2012 and July 2014 and the data was collected at NST polyclinic by the researcher between March 3rd 2013 and June 25th 2013. Participant Introductory Form and NST Findings Registry Form were used in the data collection. The data was evaluated using descriptive statistics, t-test for independent groups, chi-square test, fisher's exact test. It was determined in the study that the experimental group pregnants had more positive feelings compared to the control group pregnants (p<0.05). In addition, averages of fetal movement number and acceleration number of pregnants in the experimental group as a result of NST were higher compared to control group pregnants (p<0.001). Experimental group pregnants had a higher reactive NST result than the control group pregnants (p<0.05). The results of the study did not suggest a significant difference in the average heart rate of experimental and control group pregnants (p>0.05). Our study findings demonstrate that music played to the pregnant women during NST increases fetal movement and acceleration numbers and also leads to more positive feelings experienced by them during the test. Keywords: NST, Music, Fetal heart rate, Fetal movements, Nursing