Effect ofthe Practice of Guided Imagery on the Perceived Stress Level in High-Risk Pregnancies

Objective: This research was conducted to identify the effect of the practice of Guided Imagery on the perceived stress level in high-risk pregnancies. Methods: The study was designed as a prospective, randomized, and single-blind study. The research was performed with the participation of a total of 128 women (64 in the experimental group, 64 in the control group) who had high-risk pregnancies between February-May, 2021. The data were evaluated with the Perceived Stress Scale. Results: The experimental group obtained a lower mean of post -test scores (26.36 +/- 5.96) from the Perceived Stress Scale than the control group (30.48 +/- 3.93), and this difference was statistically significant (p<.05). Also, the experimental group obtained lower mean scores from the Perceived Stress Scale in the post -test phase than the one in the pretest phase, and this difference was statistically significant (p<.05). Conclusion: Nurses and midwives should include the practice of Guided Imagery in the care processes to reduce the stress levels of women with high-risk pregnancies.