Author:

• Maria Inês daRosa - Rosa, M.I. - Criciúma, Santa Catarina - Laboratory of Epidemiology of University of Extremo Sul Catarinense, Criciúma-SC - <mir@unesc.net>

Co-author(s):

• Fábio Rosa Silva - Silva FR - Laboratory of Epidemiology of University of Extremo Sul Catarinense, Criciúma-SC - <frsmed@hotmail.com>
• Bruno Rosa Silva - Silva BR - Laboratory of Epidemiology of University of Extremo Sul Catarinense, Criciúma-SC - <brs@unesc.net>
• Luciana C Costa - COSTA LC - Laboratory of Epidemiology of University of Extremo Sul Catarinense, Criciúma-SC - <al25950@yahoo.com.br>
• Angela M Bergamo - BERGAMO AM - Laboratory of Epidemiology of University of Extremo Sul Catarinense, Criciúma-SC - <angelmbergamo@hotmail.com>
• Napoleao C Silva - SILVA NC - Laboratory of Epidemiology of University of Extremo Sul Catarinense, Criciúma-SC - <nsi@unesc.net>
• Lidia R Medeiros - MEDEIROS LR - Postgraduate Program in Medicine and Medical Sciences at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil. - <lidia.rosi@terra.com.br>
• Iara D.E. BATTISTI - BATTISTI IDE - Federal University of Fronteira Sul. Cerro Largo-RS, Brazil. - <iarabattisti@hotmail.com>
• Rafael N. Azevedo - AZEVEDO RN - Laboratory of Epidemiology of University of Extremo Sul Catarinense, Criciúma-SC - <azevedinho@hotmail.com>

Thematic Area:

Epidemiologia

Abstract:

Objective: To investigate whether intercessory prayer (IP) influences in the adverse outcomes of pregnant women. Methods: This study was conducted as a double blind, randomized controlled trial with 564 pregnant women, attending a prenatal care public health service. The women were randomly assigned to an IP group or to a control group (n=289 per group). They were simultaneously and randomly assigned to practice or not practice prayer off-site. We evaluated the following parameters: Apgar scores, type of delivery and birth weight. Results: The mean age of the women was 25.1 years old (±7.4), and the average gestational age was 23.4 weeks (±8.1). The average years of schooling for the women was 8.1 years (±3.1). The women in the IP and control groups exhibited a similar number of serious medical adverse events. Conclusion: We found no significant differences in the frequency of adverse outcomes in pregnant women who practiced IP and those who did not.

Keywords:

intercessory prayer randomized controlled trial pregnant women. Apgar scores, Macrossomy birth weight.

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