Fear of childbirth and risk for birth complications in nulliparous women in the Danish National Birth Cohort
Abstract
Objectives To examine the associations between fear of childbirth and emergency caesarean section and between fear of childbirth and dystocia or protracted labour and fetal distress. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Danish National Birth Cohort. Population A total of 25 297 healthy nulliparous women in spontaneous labour with a single fetus in cephalic presentation at term following an uncomplicated pregnancy. Methods Data were collected during 1997–2003 from computer‐assisted telephone interviews twice in pregnancy linked with national health registers. Main outcome measures Risk for emergency caesarean section of women who feared childbirth; risk for dystocia/protracted labour or fetal distress of women who feared childbirth. Results Fear of childbirth in early (16 weeks, 6 ± 29 days) and late (31 weeks, 4 ± 21 days) pregnancy was associated with emergency caesarean section: OR, 1.23 (1.05–1.47) and 1.32 (1.13–1.55), respectively. When fear of childbirth was expressed at both interviews, the OR was 1.43 (1.13–1.80). Women who feared childbirth had an increased risk for dystocia or protracted labour (OR, 1.33; 1.15–1.54), but not for fetal distress (OR, 0.94; 0.72–1.23). Conclusions Fear of childbirth during pregnancy was associated with dystocia and emergency caesarean section but not with fetal distress.
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Some studies have suggested a higher number of emergency cesarean births among women with FOB.
“Some studies have suggested a higher number of emergency cesarean births among women with FOB [68-70].”
From Comparing internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy with standard care for women with fear of birth: Randomized controlled trial (2018) · cites this paper as [69]
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- Authors
- Laursen, M., Johansen, C., & Hedegaard, M.
- Affiliations
- Copenhagen University Hospital (DK)
- Danish Cancer Society (DK)
- Corresponding author
- Laursen, M
- ORCID
- Johansen, C
- Venue
- BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2009-08-10
- Volume
- 116
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 1350-1355
- ISSN
- 0306-5456 (ISSN-L)
- 1470-0328
- 1471-0528
- OpenAlex
- W1515611648
- Cited by
- 168
- References
- 39
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 5.36
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- BJOG An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research at the University of Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen) (submittedVersion)
- 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, emergency cesarean section, dystocia, fetal distress, nulliparous women, spontaneous labor, term pregnancy, childbirth complications
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Cesarean Section, Denmark, Dystocia, Fear, Female, Fetal Distress, Humans, Labor, Obstetric, Obstetric Labor Complications, Parity, Pregnancy, Risk Factors, Cohort Studies, Young Adult
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