A Contemporary Perspective on Spirituality During Pregnancy: A Bibliometric Analysis

Spirituality during pregnancy has increasingly been recognized as a critical factor influencing maternal well-being; however, comprehensive investigations into global research trends in this domain remain limited. This study presents a bibliometric analysis of global literature on spirituality in pregnancy from 2004 to 2024, evaluating scholarly productivity, patterns of collaboration, thematic developments, and impact citation. A systematic bibliometric review was conducted on 528 English-language articles indexed in Scopus, focusing specifically on nursing-related literature concerning "pregnancy and spirituality" and excluding non-academic sources. The analysis encompassed annual publication growth, authorship trends, international collaboration networks, keyword clusters, and citation metrics. Results indicate an average annual growth rate of 11.36% in publications, peaking in 2023 with 67 articles. The United States led both in publication output (387 articles) and citation count (2045), followed by Iran with 277 articles. The United Kingdom emerged as a key center for international collaboration, notably with Ghana and Ethiopia. Thematic clustering revealed four principal research areas: (1) spirituality as a coping mechanism (e.g., religiosity, anxiety), (2) birth and midwifery (e.g., prayer, childbirth), (3) psychological well-being (e.g., resilience, quality of life), and (4) grief and cultural practices (e.g., stillbirth, embodiment). Foundational studies emphasized cultural and religious influences on maternal experiences, whereas recent trends (2021-2024) have highlighted the impact of COVID-19 and the rise of digital spirituality. While the field demonstrates notable growth, disparities persist in geographical representation and citation visibility. Future research should prioritize underrepresented regions, adopt interdisciplinary methodologies, and explore clinical strategies for integrating spiritual care into maternal health services.