Antenatal fear of childbirth and its association with subsequent caesarean section and experience of childbirth
Abstract
Objective To investigate the prevalence of fear of childbirth in a nationwide sample and its association with subsequent rates of caesarean section and overall experience of childbirth. Design A prospective study using between-group comparisons. Setting About 600 antenatal clinics in Sweden. Sample A total of 2,662 women recruited at their first visit to an antenatal clinic during three predetermined weeks spread over 1 year. Methods Postal questionnaires at 16 weeks of gestation (mean) and 2 months postpartum. Women with fear of childbirth, defined as 'very negative' feelings when thinking about the delivery in second trimester and/or having undergone counselling because of fear of childbirth later in pregnancy, were compared with those in the reference group without these characteristics. Main outcome measures Elective and emergency caesarean section and overall childbirth experience. Results In total 97 women (3.6%) had very negative feelings and about half of them subsequently underwent counselling. In addition, 193 women (7.2%) who initially had more positive feelings underwent counselling later in pregnancy. In women who underwent counselling, fear of childbirth was associated with a three to six times higher rate of elective caesarean sections but not with higher rates of emergency caesarean section or negative childbirth experience. Very negative feelings without counselling were not associated with an increased caesarean section rate but were associated with a negati…
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Fear of childbirth is associated with increased healthcare usage, elective caesarean sections, and a priori requests of epidural analgesia.
“FOC can have wide reaching implications for women, babies, and healthcare services, including increased healthcare usage (Andersson et al., Citation2004), elective caesarean sections (Waldenström et al., Citation2006) and a priori requests of epidural analgesia (Van den Bussche et al., Citation2007)”
From The feasibility and acceptability of a single-session Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention to support women self-reporting fear of childbirth in a first pregnancy. (2023) · cites this paper as Waldenström et al., 2006
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“…implications for women, babies, and healthcare services, including increased healthcare usage (Andersson et al., 2004), elective caesarean sections (Waldenström et al., 2006) and a priori requests of epidural analgesia (Van den Bussche et al., 2007), as well as negative experiences of childbirth,…”
Background
- Authors
- Waldenström, U., Hildingsson, I., & Ryding, E.
- Affiliations
- Karolinska Institutet (SE)
- Mid Sweden University (SE)
- Karolinska University Hospital (SE)
- Corresponding author
- Waldenström, U
- Venue
- BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2006-05-18
- Volume
- 113
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 638-646
- ISSN
- 0306-5456 (ISSN-L)
- 1470-0328
- 1471-0528
- OpenAlex
- W2114702044
- Cited by
- 415
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 25 · 2018: 34 · 2017: 24 · 2016: 26 · 2015: 29 · 2014: 32 · 2013: 31 · 2012: 18
- FWCI
- 15.71
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- BJOG An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Obstetrics and Gynecology › Maternal and Perinatal Health Interventions
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Anesthesia and Pain Management
- Keywords
- fear of childbirth, cesarean section, elective cesarean section, emergency cesarean section, childbirth experience, prenatal counseling, prenatal anxiety, pregnancy
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Attitude to Health, Cesarean Section, Counseling, Fear, Female, Humans, Obstetric Labor Complications, Mothers, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Trimester, First, Prenatal Care, Prospective Studies, Prevalence
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