Fear of childbirth and related obstetric variables

Abstract

Background & Aim: The fear of childbirth is defined as the fear experienced before, during and after birth. This study was carried out to study the relationship between fear of childbirth and obstetric variables.
Methods & Materials: : This cross sectional study was conducted in a State Hospital in Kars, Turkey on 403 pregnant women who were recruited from the delivery ward. The convenience sample included pregnant women who could speak and read Turkish, had a single fetus, were without a high risky pregnancy and were in the latent phase of labor. Exclusion criteria were experiencing high-risk conditions associated with their birth. Data were collected using three questionnaires; a survey form including socio-demographic and obstetric characteristics, the Wijma Delivery Expectance/ Experience Questionnaire (W-DEQ/A), and the Turkish version of Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). 
Results: The W-DEQ/A and BAI scores were higher in the nulliparous than multiparous (W-DEQ/A 67.08±28.33, 59.87±26.91, P=0.039<0.05, BAI 18.97±9.5, 16.65±11.83, p<0.001 respectively). Moreover, the W-DEQ/A and BAI scores of the pregnant women with ≤37 / ≥41 weeks of gestation and those who didn’t receive any training and had vaginal delivery were higher than those with 38-40 weeks of gestation and who received prenatal training and had cesarean delivery (W-DEQ/A 67.54±29.20, 56.44±22.59, 69.72±25.53 p<0.05, BAI 21.41±9.07; 15.77±11.20, 18.36±10.57 p<0.05 respectively). Both in the nulliparous and multiparous, as the W-DEQ/A score increases, the BAI score increases, too (r=0.256; p<0.001).
Conclusion: The severe fear of childbirth and anxiety was more common in the nulliparous women, mothers with history of pre- term, and post-term pregnancy and in those who did not receive prenatal care and had vaginal delivery.