Fear of Childbirth

Background: Fear of childbirth is reported in 13% of fathers, and it may have adverse consequences for the health of fathers as well as their families. Due to the lack of a valid and reliable questionnaire to measure fathers' fear of childbirth, this study was conducted to develop the Fathers' Fear of Childbirth Scale and evaluate its psychometric properties. Methods: This mixed method study was conducted in two phases. In the qualitative phase (or item generation), semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 expectant fathers, and a literature review was performed to generate the Fathers' Fear of Childbirth Scale items pool. In the quantitative phase (or psychometric evaluation), reliability as well as face, content, and construct validity of this scale were evaluated. To establish construct validity, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed. Reliability was evaluated through internal consistency and composite reliability measures. Results: The ...

Background: The rate at which mothers experience a cesarean section in the absence of medical signs is growing worldwide. Women's beliefs and intentions play an essential role in the request or choice of a delivery method. At present, there is no comprehensive, validated scale for assessing pregnant women's beliefs about cesarean section in the Iranian population. This study was performed to develop and assess the validity and reliability of the intention-based cesarean section scale using the theory of reasoned action (TRA) constructs as a theoretical framework for measuring intention toward the selection of a delivery method. Methods: In this cross-sectional validation study, 480 pregnant women were recruited from Sari, in northern Iran, through a multistage random sampling approach. Content validity was examined using the content validity index (CVI) and content validity ratio (CVR). Furthermore, both exploratory factor analyses (EFA) and con rmatory factor analyses (CFA) were applied to assess the construct validity of the developed scale. Reliability was measured by internal consistency and the intraclass correlation coe cient (ICC). Quality criteria for oor and ceiling effects were derived from existing guidelines and consensus within our research group. Results: The results obtained from the factor analysis showed that the data were t to the model (χ2 = 2298.389, P < 0.001). The TRA comprised 24 items assessing ve domains, which described 62.46% of the common variance. The CFA showed a model with suitable tness for the data. Cronbach's alpha coe cient for the domains of the scale ranged from .609 to .843, and the ICC value ranged from .71 to .84, which is within the satisfactory range. The IR-TBICS scale had no oor or ceiling effect on the total score or any of the dimensions. The belief-based cesarean section scale appears to be a reliable instrument. It is considered suitable and can be applied in other research in Iran.

Throughout pregnancy, during childbirth, and after childbirth, new and expecting mothers often experience a great amount of anxiety and depressive symptoms that can be classified into three divisions: prenatal anxiety, fear of childbirth, and postpartum depression. Often these symptoms are overlooked and unresolved due to their short time span and being specifically linked to childbirth. However, these symptoms cause a lesser quality of life for the mother that can highly impact the mother and her newborn short-term and long-term. Art therapy techniques, explained by the Expressive Therapy’s Continuum, have proved beneficial in the aid of alleviating depression and anxiety symptoms in new and expecting mothers.

Introduction Ethics is an important aspect of midwifery care. A code of ethics in midwifery can provide a general framework for ethical behavior among midwives and enhance the quality of midwifery services. However, there is no tool to assess adherence to codes of ethics in midwifery. This study aims to design and evaluate the psychometric properties of a tool to measure Adherence to the Code of Ethics in Midwifery (ACEM). Methodology This was a methodologic study based on the steps described by Waltz for tool development. The concept of ethics and the codes of ethics were used to design the preliminary tool. Then qualitative and quantitative face and validity assessments were performed. The construct validity was assessed using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) on 200 samples through a cross-sectional study. The reliability was evaluated by stability and internal consistency assessment using the test re-test method and by intra-cluster correlation coefficient (ICC) calculation. Absolute reliability was also measured by calculating the standard error of measurement (SEm) and minimum detectable change (MDC) indexes. Finally, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was implemented by another cross-sectional study on 200 samples using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) and calculating the fit indexes of the model. Sampling was conducted using a convenience sampling method among midwives working in various departments (public hospitals, private hospitals, health centers, university faculty members, university staff, research centers, headquarters, and private offices) across four regions of Iran: North, South, East, and West. The sampling was carried out electronically via Google Forms, and the questionnaire link was distributed to eligible individuals through the university of medical sciences, the deputy of health and medical services, and medical council of the Islamic republic of Iran. Results The preliminary tool was developed with 92 items. After the face and content validity assessment, the items were reduced to 55. The validity assessment showed S-CVI = 0.94, I-CVR ranges > 0.88, Kappa *>0.6. These values indicate that the tool has appropriate content validity. The EFA resulted in the design of the ACEM with 42 items in 4 factors including; "Professional commitment (17 items)", "client-centered service (11 items)", "Professional management (7 items)", and "Standard services (7 items)". These four factors explained 65.912% of the variance of ACEM. Intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) of the entire tool was 0.98 (CI 95%: 0.97-0.99) and Internal consistency with α-Cronbach calculation for the entire questionnaire was 0.98 Considering that it is above 0.8, it is very good reliability. The standard

Background: Maternal mortality is a major challenge to health systems in Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) where almost 99% of maternal deaths occurred in 2015. Primarycare facilities providing Basic Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care (BEmONC) facilities, and facilities that are midwife-led are appropriate for normal birth in LMICs and have been proposed as the best approach to reduce maternal deaths. However, the poor quality of maternal services that leads to decreased utilisation of these facilities is among the major causes of maternal deaths worldwide. This systematic review studied factors affecting the quality of care in BEmONC and midwife-led facilities in LMICs. Methods: A number of public health and social science databases were searched using the following search terms: birth centre, skilled birth attendant, low-income/developing countries and quality of care. Articles in English discussing components of quality of care of BEmONC and midwife led facilities published since 1990 were included. Of the 67 full-text articles reviewed, 28 were included in the study based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were extracted on a standard form and analysed thematically. Results: Most articles were from Africa (n=20) and were quantitative surveys or cohort studies (n=14). Thematic analysis of the main ideas revealed various factors affecting quality of care including facility level determinants and other determinants influencing access to care. Facility-level determinants included these barriers: lack of equipment and drugs at the facility, lack of trained staff, poor attitudes and behaviour of service providers, and poor communication 25

Abstract: Introduction: A healthy newborn with a healthy mother is the fundamental objective of foetal surveillance. One of the important tests that is performed during pregnancy is the non-stress test (NST). The NST remains the main method for monitoring the foetus. In this study, expectant women at Gangtok's Tertiary Care Hospital in Sikkim have undergone non-stress test to determine the impact of different maternal positions on the physical and physiological characteristics of the mother and foetus. Methods: The study used an experimental approach with crossover research design. The position strategy was randomly assigned to the antenatal women between 34 and 40 weeks of gestation as sequence I, sequence II, or sequence III. Each position strategy included all three positions, and NST was carried out in accordance with the designated strategy. The study comprised 90 pregnant women who were in a labour room of a tertiary hospital in Gangtok. Results: The data showed that maternal pulse rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure and fetal heart rate, movement were statistically significant which means there were a varied difference between the maternal and foetal characteristics. The study also depicts that before the positioning, left lateral position had the highest level of no discomfort (81%) and after the positioning, left lateral had the highest level of no discomfort (17%), semi-Fowler's 38% had the highest level of severe discomfort. The comparison of post-test mean score between the positions and within the pre-test and post-test of mean score of the positions were p = 0.001 (p > 0.05) and 0.000 (p>0.05) respectively. Hence, the degree of comfort in the semi-Fowler's, supine, left lateral positions were statistically significant at the p0.05 level. Conclusion: The study revealed that both the mother and foetal parameters and the degree of discomfort of mother during Non-Stress Tests varied significantly depending on positions. The study comes to the conclusion that throughout the non-stress test, the left lateral posture was the most comfortable.

Introduction: legal abortion, as a negative pregnancy-related event, affects the individual and social aspects of an individual’s life and lead to a reduction in the quality of life, depression and anxiety.the aim of the present study was to examine the impact of counseling on depression and anxiety following legal abortion. Methods: 120 pregnant women, with a permit to conduct legal abortion, who had visited the Educational and Medical Center of Kosar in Qazvin in the years 2013 and 2014, participated in this semi-empirical study. The sample was divided into control (observation and recoding information) and intervention groups (face-to-face individual counseling before abortion and weekly follow-up telephone calls for eight weeks). For the purpose of randomization, the even days were dedicated to the control group and the odd days to the intervention group. After obtaining participants’ consent, the personal information and pregnancy questionnaires were distributed among both grou...

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the "Birth Attitude Profile Scale (BAPS)" in a selected sample of women with fear of birth. Another aim was to develop profiles of women according to their birth attitudes and levels of childbirth fear in relation to background characteristics. Methods: A secondary analysis of data collected in two different samples of women with fear of birth. Data were collected by a questionnaire in gestational week 36 and background data from mid-pregnancy. A principal component analysis and a cluster analysis were performed of the combined sample of 195 women. Results: The principal component analysis revealed four domains of the BAPS: "personal impact, birth as a natural event, freedom of choice and safety concerns". When adding the fear of birth scale, two clusters were identified: one with strong attitudes and lower fear, labeled "selfdeterminers"; and one with no strong attitudes but high levels of fear, labeled "fearful." Women in the "Fearful" cluster more often reported previous and current mental health problems, which were the main difference between the clusters. Conclusion: The BAPS instrument seems to be useful in identifying birth attitudes in women with fear of birth and could be a basis for discussions and birth planning during pregnancy. Mental health problems were the main difference in cluster membership; therefore, it is important to ask women with fear of childbirth about physical, mental and social aspects of health. In addition, a qualitative approach using techniques such as focus groups or interviews is needed to explore how women come to form their attitudes and beliefs about birth.

Background: Women with childbirth fear have been offered counseling by experienced midwives in Sweden for decades without evidence for its effectiveness, in terms of decrease in childbirth fear. Women are usually satisfied with the counselling. However, there is a lack of qualitative data regarding women's views about counselling for childbirth fear. Aim: To explore women's experiences of midwife-led counselling for childbirth fear. Method: A qualitative interview study using thematic analysis. Twenty-seven women assessed for childbirth fear who had received counselling during pregnancy at three different hospitals in Sweden were interviewed by telephone one to two years after birth. Findings: The overarching theme 'Midwife-led counselling brought positive feelings and improved confidence in birth' was identified. This consisted of four themes describing 'the importance of the midwife' and 'a mutual and strengthening dialogue' during pregnancy. 'Coping strategies and support enabled a positive birth' represent women's experiences during birth and 'being prepared for a future birth' were the women's thoughts of a future birth. Conclusions: In this qualitative study, women reported that midwife-led counselling improved their confidence for birth through information and knowledge. The women experienced a greater sense of calm and preparedness, which increased the tolerance for the uncertainty related to the birthing process. This, in turn, positively affected the birth experience. Combined with a feeling of safety, which was linked to the professional support during birth, the women felt empowered. The positive birth experience strengthened the self-confidence for a future birth and the childbirth fear was described as reduced or manageable.

Pregnancy is a stressful event in a woman’s life. Many women have a lot of fear during pregnancy and childbirth. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between fear of childbirth and neonatal outcomes.This was a cross-sectional study, on 255 nulliparous women who were admitted to Asali Hospital of Khorramabad in 2016 to give birth. Samples were selected among women who were admitted in the hospital for delivery. Data were collected using, a demographic questionnaire, questionnaire of fear of delivery, and acheck list for recording neonatal outcomes. Results showed that neonatal outcome (distress, admission of neonate in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) were not significantly associated with fear of childbirth (P>0.05).The findings showed that there was no negative effects between neonatal outcomes and fear of childbirth.

Background: Yoga during pregnancy has gained recognition for its potential benefits in enhancing maternal well-being, offering physical Health and mental relaxation through gentle postions , breathing Exercises , and meditation practices. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the impact of yoga interventions on childbirth outcomes, focusing on labor duration, mode of delivery, and newborn birth weight. Methods: This study was conducted at Saveetha Medical college and Hospital, (SMCH).Chennai, India, with 132 pregnant women meeting selection criteria from a pool of 212 antenatal care recipients. Participants were allocated to four groups: conventional management, yoga intervention,

Background: Fear and anxiety are considered the most common symptoms experienced by nulliparous women before a cesarean operation. Benson's therapy is one of the non-pharmacological strategies that has been associated with positive effects on various physical and psychological conditions and promoting relaxation before cesarean operation. Aim: The current study aimed to investigate the effect of Benson's relaxation therapy on pre-cesarean section fear and anxiety among nulliparous women. Design: A quasi-experimental research design was employed. Setting: The study was carried out at Mansoura New General Hospital, Mansoura City, Egypt. Sampling: A purposive sample of one hundred and sixty nulliparous women. Tools: Data was gathered through three tools: A personal data questionnaire, the State Anxiety Inventory, and the Childbirth Attitudes Questionnaire. Results: There was a highly statistically significant reduction in the total mean fear score from 44.4±8.7 pre-intervention to 35.4±13.4 post-implementation of Benson's relaxation therapy. Also, there was a highly statistically significant reduction in the total mean anxiety scores from 54.7±11.1 pre-intervention to 37.9±12.4 post-intervention. Furthermore, there was a significant positive correlation between anxiety scores and fear of CS scores after implementing Benson's relaxation therapy. Conclusion: Benson's relaxation therapy is a simple, feasible, and valuable therapeutic approach that doesn't necessitate specialized equipment. It can be easily implemented after a brief instruction. Also, it has a significant beneficial effect on alleviating fear and anxiety among nulliparous women who go through cesarean sections. Recommendation: Applying Benson's relaxation therapy to alleviate fear and anxiety prior to a cesarean section.

Background: There is evidence that continuity of midwifery care is beneficial to women. Women with fear of childbirth in Sweden are offered counselling, but receiving care from a known midwife during labour is unusual, despite its effects in reducing interventions and increasing birth satisfaction. The aim of this study was to describe and compare birth outcome and experience of intrapartum care among women with fear of childbirth who received intrapartum care from a known midwife, versus those who did not. Methods: An experimental study of 70 women referred to counselling due to fear of birth during pregnancy wherein the counselling midwife, when possible, also assisted during labour and birth. Results: Having a known midwife during labour and birth had a positive impact on fearful women's birth experience and their perception of pain, but there was no difference in onset of labour or mode of birth. Women who received care from a known midwife experienced better care with regards to information, participation in decision making and perception of control. Conclusion: This study indicates that having access to a known midwife might have an impact on women's birth experience. This study was limited by its small sample size and further research would need to randomise fearful women to counselling or continuity of care to determine the contribution of each to reducing fear.

Background: Fear of childbirth is reported in 13% of fathers, and it may have adverse consequences for the health of fathers as well as their families. Due to the lack of a valid and reliable questionnaire to measure fathers&#39; fear of childbirth, this study was conducted to develop the Fathers&#39; Fear of Childbirth Scale and evaluate its psychometric properties. Methods: This mixed method study was conducted in two phases. In the qualitative phase (or item generation), semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 expectant fathers, and a literature review was performed to generate the Fathers&#39; Fear of Childbirth Scale items pool. In the quantitative phase (or psychometric evaluation), reliability as well as face, content, and construct validity of this scale were evaluated. To establish construct validity, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed. Reliability was evaluated through internal consistency and composite reliability measures. Results: The ...

Father's Fear of Childbirth ÖZ Gebelik ve doğum baba adaylarının ebeveynliğe adım attığı gelişimsel bir dönemdir. Bu süreç en az anne olmakla ilgili gelişimsel süreç kadar karmaşıktır. Baba adayları bu süreçte heyecan, kaygı ve korku gibi çeşitli duygular yaşamaktadır. Özellikle doğum eylemi baba adayları için bilinmezliklerle dolu ve korku yaratan bir olay olarak tanımlanmaktadır. Ancak literatürde baba adaylarının yaşadığı doğum korkusunu ele alan sınırlı sayıda çalışma bulunmaktadır. Bu derlemenin amacı baba adaylarının doğum korkusu hakkında bilgi sağlamaktır. Literatüre göre baba adaylarının %10,6-%13,6'sıdoğum korkusu yaşamaktadır. Ancak baba adaylarının gebelik ve doğumla ilgili yaşadıkları duyguları ortaya çıkarmada bireysel ve toplumsal engeller olduğu bilinmektedir. Bu nedenle baba adayları sıklıkla doğum korkularını kontrol etme ve saklama eğilimindedir. Baba adaylarının doğuma ilişkin korkularının temelinde; eşin ya da bebeğin zarar görmesi, eşini acı içinde görme, çaresizlik duygusu, bilinmezlik, zor ve müdahaleli doğum ihtiyacı, doğum komplikasyonları, sağlık personellerinin yetkinliğine ilişkin endişe, malpraktis korkusu, eş ilişkilerinin bozulması korkusu, cinsel ilişkinin kalitesiyle ilgili endişeler, kısıtlı maddi imkanlar ve iyi bir baba olamama korkusu yatmaktadır. Ayrıca yaş, sosyoekonomik durum, doğduğu ülke, dini uygulamalar, çocuk sayısı, doğuma yönelik tutum, önceki doğum şekli, önceki doğum deneyimi, doğumlar arasındaki süre ve tercih edilen doğum şekli baba adaylarının doğum korkusunu etkileyen faktörler arasında yer almaktadır. Baba adaylarının yaşadıkları doğum korkusunun doğum yaklaştıkça arttığı ve doğum sırasında en yüksek düzeye ulaştığı bilinmektedir. Bununla birlikte ilk kez doğumla karşılaşacak olan baba adaylarının yaşadıkları hafif düzeydeki korku ve endişe onları doğuma hazırlamak için normal ve işlevsel olarak kabul edilebilir. Ancak baş edilemeyen doğum korkusu şiddetlenerek baba adaylarında uyku problemi, mide bulantısı/ağrısı, ereksiyon problemi, kilo artışı, travma sonrası stres bozukluğu ve postpartum depresyon gibi patolojik durumlara yol açabilir. Baba adaylarının, babalık rolü üstlenme süreçlerini, eşini duygusal/fiziksel olarak destekleme yeteneklerini ve anne/çocuk ilişkisini olumsuz etkileyen önemli bir soruna dönüşebilir. Sonuç olarak koruyucu obstetrik bakım kapsamında, doğum korkusuna sahip baba adaylarının korkularının açığa çıkarılması, doğum korkusunun olumsuz etkilerinin azaltılması ve etkili baş etme yöntemlerinin kazandırılması için sağlık profesyonellerinin özellikle hemşirelerin ek girişimlerine ihtiyaç bulunmaktadır.

To determine the pregnancy, birth perception, birth method preferences and the effecting factors. Method: Three different qualitative interviews were performed with 14 pregnant women. In first trimester of pregnancy, third trimester of pregnancy and postpartum period after birth and during the final interview Evaluation of Mother Satisfaction During Birth scale was applied to measure birth satisfaction level. Results: The age average of the pregnant women was 25±3.2, majority of them married between ages of 19-22, were lyceum and high school graduates and half of them were housewives. Most of the pregnant people conceived due to the pressure from their spouses, their emotions were affected from planned pregnancy, the emotions related with pregnancy changed during pregnancy, most of the pregnant women preferred vaginal birth as they think it is healthier and this preference did not change during their pregnancy, all pregnant women were afraid of birth and fear of birth affected their birth method preference. It was determined that half of the pregnant women gave birth by vaginal and the rest by cesarean method. The scores of 3 pregnant women who performed vaginal birth were lower than the breakpoint of the scale (<150.5), the scores of all pregnant women who gave birth by cesarean method were higher than the breakpoint of the scale (>146.5) so their satisfaction levels from the healthcare they received at the hospital during birth were high. Conclusion: Most of the pregnant women were afraid of delivery and the fear of childbirth affected the delivery preference.

The causes of fear of childbirth and the factors that affect it are not fully explained. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between fear of childbirth in pregnant women and anxiety sensitivity and somatosensory amplification. The study included 100 healthy pregnant women who were admitted to the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department of a tertiary hospital in Turkey at 28-40 weeks of gestation. Sociodemographic Data Form, Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI), Somatosensory Amplification Scale (SSAS), Spielberger State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Wijma Expectancy/ Experience Scale (W-DEQ) were applied to all cases. The mean age of the pregnant women included in the study was 29.20 ± 6.17 years, and 82% of them had high fear of childbirth. It was determined that factors such as age, education status, occupation, prior pregnancy experience, the number of pregnancies, miscarriage history, and abortion experience had no significant effect on the fear of childbirth. It was observed that there was a weak positive correlation between the fear of childbirth and the anxiety sensitivity and the amplification of somatosensory symptoms. According to the findings of our study, as the fear of childbirth increases, anxiety sensitivity, and somatosensory amplification increase. For this reason, it is crucial to carefully monitor prenatal anxiety, somatosensory amplification and the fear of childbirth of pregnant women with state-related concerns. IMPACT STATEMENT What is already known on this subject? Fear of childbirth or what is historically referred to as tokophobia is generally defined as a fear of severe birth and fear of pathological birth. The causes of fear of childbirth are stated as biological reasons, psychological reasons and lack of social support. However, it is not possible to explain the causes of the fear of childbirth in pregnant women and the risk factors affecting them. Similarly, fear of childbirth in individuals with anxiety sensitivity and amplification of somatosensory symptoms has not been adequately investigated. What do the results of this study add? In this study, we aimed to contribute to the related literature by examining the relationship between fear of childbirth in pregnant women and anxiety sensitivity and amplification of somatosensory symptoms. It was observed that there was a weak positive correlation between the fear of childbirth and the sensitivity of anxiety and the amplification of somatosensory symptoms. According to the findings of our study, as the fear of childbirth increases, anxiety sensitivity, and somatosensory amplification increase. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? For this reason, it is crucial to carefully monitor the pregnants who have prenatal anxiety sensitivity, somatosensory amplification, and state-continuous anxiety. Due to insufficient number of studies related to the subject, extensive sample studies on the subject are needed.

Background: Women with childbirth fear have been offered counseling by experienced midwives in Sweden for decades without evidence for its effectiveness, in terms of decrease in childbirth fear. Women are usually satisfied with the counselling. However, there is a lack of qualitative data regarding women's views about counselling for childbirth fear. Aim: To explore women's experiences of midwife-led counselling for childbirth fear. Method: A qualitative interview study using thematic analysis. Twenty-seven women assessed for childbirth fear who had received counselling during pregnancy at three different hospitals in Sweden were interviewed by telephone one to two years after birth. Findings: The overarching theme 'Midwife-led counselling brought positive feelings and improved confidence in birth' was identified. This consisted of four themes describing 'the importance of the midwife' and 'a mutual and strengthening dialogue' during pregnancy. 'Coping strategies and support enabled a positive birth' represent women's experiences during birth and 'being prepared for a future birth' were the women's thoughts of a future birth. Conclusions: In this qualitative study, women reported that midwife-led counselling improved their confidence for birth through information and knowledge. The women experienced a greater sense of calm and preparedness, which increased the tolerance for the uncertainty related to the birthing process. This, in turn, positively affected the birth experience. Combined with a feeling of safety, which was linked to the professional support during birth, the women felt empowered. The positive birth experience strengthened the self-confidence for a future birth and the childbirth fear was described as reduced or manageable.

"Background: Fear of childbirth (FOC) is a feeling of uncertainty and anxiousness before, during or after delivery which may increase the risk of various physical problems and mental disorders thereby affecting maternal and infant morbidity and mortality. Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of fear of childbirth and to determine its associated factors among pregnant women.
Methodology: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among pregnant women attending ante-natal clinic of a tertiary-care hospital in ImphalEast District of Manipur. A 30-item questionnaire was used for data collection. Descriptive statistics, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to test for association taking all variables with p < 0.2 for model building for the adjusted analysis. A p value <0.05 was taken as level of significance. Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Ethics Committee.
Results: Out of 431 participants, fear of childbirth was seen in 36%. Increasing age of the respondent (AOR: 0.877) and residing in urban area (AOR: 0.548) showed a protective effect but respondents having past history of abortion (AOR: 2.054) and being in the third trimester of pregnancy (AOR: 1.964) were found to have an increased risk of having ‘Fear of childbirth’ (p<0.005).
Conclusions: Overall, 155 (36%) of women had fear of childbirth. It is important that healthcare professionals to be aware of fear of childbirth and ensure that pregnant women receive adequate health education, counselling during regular ANC checkups."

Father's Fear of Childbirth ÖZ Gebelik ve doğum baba adaylarının ebeveynliğe adım attığı gelişimsel bir dönemdir. Bu süreç en az anne olmakla ilgili gelişimsel süreç kadar karmaşıktır. Baba adayları bu süreçte heyecan, kaygı ve korku gibi çeşitli duygular yaşamaktadır. Özellikle doğum eylemi baba adayları için bilinmezliklerle dolu ve korku yaratan bir olay olarak tanımlanmaktadır. Ancak literatürde baba adaylarının yaşadığı doğum korkusunu ele alan sınırlı sayıda çalışma bulunmaktadır. Bu derlemenin amacı baba adaylarının doğum korkusu hakkında bilgi sağlamaktır. Literatüre göre baba adaylarının %10,6-%13,6'sıdoğum korkusu yaşamaktadır. Ancak baba adaylarının gebelik ve doğumla ilgili yaşadıkları duyguları ortaya çıkarmada bireysel ve toplumsal engeller olduğu bilinmektedir. Bu nedenle baba adayları sıklıkla doğum korkularını kontrol etme ve saklama eğilimindedir. Baba adaylarının doğuma ilişkin korkularının temelinde; eşin ya da bebeğin zarar görmesi, eşini acı içinde görme, çaresizlik duygusu, bilinmezlik, zor ve müdahaleli doğum ihtiyacı, doğum komplikasyonları, sağlık personellerinin yetkinliğine ilişkin endişe, malpraktis korkusu, eş ilişkilerinin bozulması korkusu, cinsel ilişkinin kalitesiyle ilgili endişeler, kısıtlı maddi imkanlar ve iyi bir baba olamama korkusu yatmaktadır. Ayrıca yaş, sosyoekonomik durum, doğduğu ülke, dini uygulamalar, çocuk sayısı, doğuma yönelik tutum, önceki doğum şekli, önceki doğum deneyimi, doğumlar arasındaki süre ve tercih edilen doğum şekli baba adaylarının doğum korkusunu etkileyen faktörler arasında yer almaktadır. Baba adaylarının yaşadıkları doğum korkusunun doğum yaklaştıkça arttığı ve doğum sırasında en yüksek düzeye ulaştığı bilinmektedir. Bununla birlikte ilk kez doğumla karşılaşacak olan baba adaylarının yaşadıkları hafif düzeydeki korku ve endişe onları doğuma hazırlamak için normal ve işlevsel olarak kabul edilebilir. Ancak baş edilemeyen doğum korkusu şiddetlenerek baba adaylarında uyku problemi, mide bulantısı/ağrısı, ereksiyon problemi, kilo artışı, travma sonrası stres bozukluğu ve postpartum depresyon gibi patolojik durumlara yol açabilir. Baba adaylarının, babalık rolü üstlenme süreçlerini, eşini duygusal/fiziksel olarak destekleme yeteneklerini ve anne/çocuk ilişkisini olumsuz etkileyen önemli bir soruna dönüşebilir. Sonuç olarak koruyucu obstetrik bakım kapsamında, doğum korkusuna sahip baba adaylarının korkularının açığa çıkarılması, doğum korkusunun olumsuz etkilerinin azaltılması ve etkili baş etme yöntemlerinin kazandırılması için sağlık profesyonellerinin özellikle hemşirelerin ek girişimlerine ihtiyaç bulunmaktadır.

Childbirth experience is one of the important outcomes of childbirth, so creating a positive experience of childbirth should always be considered as one of the goals of health care providers and programs. Present study investigate the Iranian women’s experience of physiological childbirth and its related factors. This cross-sectional study from June until Dec 2019 was conducted on 185 women based on estimating the average population formula, who had the experience of physiological childbirth in Fatemieh hospital in Hamadan, Iran. Samples were selected by convenience method. Data collection tools included demographic and midwifery questionnaire, childbirth experience questionnaire (CEQ) and midwifery care observation checklist. Data analysis was done using SPSS software (version 24) and descriptive and analytical tests such as Kolmogorov-Smirnov for assessment of normal data distribution and multiple linear regression test were applied. Significance level in the tests was considered ...

IntroductionThere is growing evidence of the considerable impact of fear of childbirth on women&#39;s health and well‐being, but prevalence reports of high and severe fear of childbirth and reported risk factors have been inconsistent in various studies. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of high and severe fear of childbirth, and to identify risk factors of childbirth fear.Material and methodsA cross‐sectional study was conducted among a convenience sample of 882 pregnant women attending antenatal care in Cork, Ireland. Fear of childbirth was assessed using the Wijma Delivery Expectancy Questionnaire version A (W‐DEQ A) using a cut‐off ≥66 to define high fear and ≥85 to define severe fear. Associated risk factors were investigated using univariate and multivariate multinomial logistic regression analyses. Four W‐DEQ A subscales were calculated using a cut‐off ≥2.5 to determine the nature of childbirth fear.ResultsOverall prevalence of severe fear of childbirth ...

Despite a sharp increase in the number of publications that report on treatment options for pregnancy-specific anxiety and fear of childbirth (PSA/FoB), no systematic review of nonpharmacological prenatal interventions for PSA/FoB has been published. Our team addressed this gap, as an important first step in developing guidelines and recommendations for the treatment of women with PSA/FoB. Two databases (PubMed and Mendeley) were searched, using a combination of 42 search terms. After removing duplicates, two authors independently assessed 208 abstracts. Sixteen studies met eligibility criteria, ie, the article reported on an intervention, educational component, or treatment regime for PSA/FoB during pregnancy, and included a control group. Independent quality assessments resulted in the retention of seven studies. Six of seven included studies were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and one a quasi-experimental study. Five studies received moderate quality ratings and two strong r...

Background and Objectives: The emergent Covid-19 disease with conspicuous prevalence is putting the healthcare workers&#39; job security at risk. The preventive behaviors in every individual have a close relationship with his/her risk perception of the risk factor. Hence the present study has been undertaken aiming at determining the Iranian healthcare workers&#39; risk perception of the Covid-19 disease and the relevant effective factors. Materials and Methods: This anonymous online survey was conducted in March-April, 2020 using targeted snowball sampling among the Iranian healthcare workers. The data was collected via online-social networks using a questionnaire containing demographical specifications (5 questions), risk perceptions (20 questions), with five sub-scales including cognitive, cultural, political, social and emotional factors. Data analysis was performed using SPSS v.16 software.Results: From 165 participants, the youth (20-49 years of age) with 84% and the females w...

Objective(s): Fear of childbirth is the most reason for cesarean section and it is greater in primigravida women. This study aimed to determine the effect of training based on Group Investigation Model on fear of childbirth in primigravida women. Methods: This was a field trial. Samples of primigravida women (n = 72) who referred to health centers in Ferdows, Iran in 2018 were entered into the study and randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. In the intervention group, the training program was held in 6 sessions each lasting for 90 minutes. Two sessions were held each week. Data were collected by using a demographic and Wijma fear of delivery questionnaire. Data were analyzed by using SPSS software version 16 using Chi-square, t-teste and pair t-test. Results: The mean age of the participants was 26.20 ± 5.19 years. At baseline there was no significant difference in fear of childbirth score in the two groups (P=0.57). However, the results showed a significant decrease in the fear of childbirth after intervention in the intervention group compared to the pre intervention (P <0.001). Also, after intervention the results showed that fear of childbirth was significantly different in intervention and control groups (P <0.001). Conclusion: The Group Investigation Method for educating pregnant women was an effective and applicable intervention for reducing the fear of childbirth. The model might be useful in reducing the fear of childbirth and subsequently desire for vaginal childbirth and reducing the cesarean section.

Background and aims: Self-esteem is a powerful and important factor in creating health, satisfaction and happiness, and is an important determinant factor of the coping capacities of women during labor and delivery. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of group counseling on cognitive-behavioral approach on the self-esteem in primiparous pregnant women. Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 46 pregnant nulliparous women in one of the hospitals in Tehran. Women who were in the first pregnancy and had a self-esteem score of zero or less selected after taking written inform consent. Then, they were randomly divided into two groups in the intervention and control group. The intervention group participated in 7 sessions of cognitive-behavioral group counseling, while the control group received only the routine pregnancy care. Two weeks after the last session, the Rosenberg's Self-Esteem questionnaire was recompleted by both groups. Data were analyzed using descriptive (percent and mean) and inferential statistical tests (Wilcoxon test, Mann-Whitney, t-test and K 2 and using SPSS. Results: The results showed that difference between mean age among women in the intervention group (28.32±3.26), and the control group (25.88±4.24) was significant (P=0.035). The selfesteem scores mean of the intervention and control groups was (4.77±4.07) and (-1.79±2.26), which difference was significant (P<0.001). Conclusion: It seems that cognitive-behavioral group counseling can increase the self-esteem of women during pregnancy. So, it is recommended to use counseling methods to improve the mental health of pregnant women in childbirth preparation classes.

Background: The present study aims to investigate the effect of progressive muscle relaxation intervention with imagery-based relaxation technique on the mental health and maternal-fetal attachment in women with a first unwanted pregnancy. Methods: From all the pregnant women referred to the clinics of Semnan city, 60 individuals were purposefully selected and randomly divided into two groups of experimental and control. The mothers of the experimental group received the corresponding intervention, while the control group was only provided with normal care. Before and after the intervention, the general health and maternal-fetal attachment questionnaires were filled by the individuals. Results: The results of the multivariate analysis of covariance indicated that a relaxation intervention period can significantly improve the mental health and maternal-fetal attachment as well. Conclusions: According to the present results, it can be concluded that the current intervention can be used as a low-cost and nonpharmacological method to improve the psychological issues and arrive at a higher maternal-fetal attachment during the pregnancy.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of childbirth preparation courses on labor anxiety, labor process, stay of the baby with mother, and breastfeeding of the baby in early periods. Study Design: This study was of a semi-experimental type and included 166 pregnant mothers who accepted to participate in the study and 920 mothers who had given birth at Eskişehir State Hospital between April 2013 and September 2013. 55 mothers who accepted to participate in the course were classified as the study group while 111 mothers who did not accept to participate in the course were classified as the control group. The data were collected through data collection forms prepared by researchers. The analysis of the data was made via IBM SPSS, version 21.0. Results: 49.1% (n=27) of the mothers who participated in the course and 23.4% (n=26) of the mothers who did not participated in the course gave birth in 1-5 hours after being admitted to the hospital. The rates of normal bi...

Numerous articles describe the concept of mentorship for providing professional support in midwifery settings in different countries; however, in Pakistan the concept is under developed. Before implementing the concept in the Pakistani context, it was important to first develop a mentorship module and pilot test the idea. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to develop and test a mentorship module to determine its feasibility for educating community midwives about providing mentoring, so that a formal mentorship program could be established in the future. The training aimed to provide skill focused mentorship training to experienced midwives, so that they could perform the role of mentors for newly graduate midwives, in order to support them and build their confidence. The mentorship module was developed with the help of literature review and experts' suggestion. A structured questionnaire was given to 50 community midwives after they had been provided mentorship training. Community midwives from nineteen districts of Sindh, Pakistan, were surveyed through purposive sampling. All the community midwives agreed that there was a need for mentorship, that the training module was useful, and that they would be able to integrate it into their practice. Over 80% community midwives rated the content of the module as useful, the majority agreed that the total duration of the training (two days) and the length of each session in the training were appropriate. Similarly, all participants reported that the mentoring strategies were helpful. Hence, the mentorship training module was strongly perceived to be feasible and useful by the community midwives of Sindh, Pakistan.

It is well accepted globally, that midwives can save the lives of mothers and their newborn successfully, if the community stakeholders provide support and freedom for full scope of practice. Recognising this many countries deploy midwives in the community as an intervention to achieve the MDGs (Millennium Development Goals) 4 and 5 targets set for decreasing maternal and neonatal mortality, respectively. However, high-income countries' reports show very good results, in achieving MDGs 4 and 5 while the low-income countries lag behind in this regard. The situation in highincome and low-income countries is different because midwives practising in the community in low-income countries face many barriers. These barriers include a lack of understanding of midwives' role, inadequate logistic arrangements, patriarchy, culture, and norms at the level of the family and society that affect all CMWs' (Community Midwives) lives as women.

Background Many women experience fear of childbirth (FoB) and depressive symptoms (DS) during pregnancy, but little is known about FoB among Tanzanian women. The current study aimed to assess the prevalence of FoB and DS among pregnant women and determine predictors of each and both, focusing on sociodemographic and obstetric predictors. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted at six health facilities in two districts in Tanzania between 2018 and 2019. In total, 694 pregnant women with gestational age between 32 and 40 weeks and expecting vaginal delivery were consecutively recruited and assessed for FoB and DS. We collected data through interviews using 6 and 4-points Likert Scale of the Wijma Delivery Expectancy Questionnaire Version A and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, respectively. Women who scored ≥66 and ≥ 10 were categorised as having FoB and DS, respectively. We performed multivariable logistic regression to investigate the predictors of FoB and DS. Results The ...

Aim. In 2008, a Western Australian maternity hospital began a next birth after caesarean (NBAC) service to improve the quality of care offered to pregnant women who had experienced a caesarean section (CS) in a previous pregnancy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the NBAC service at three time points (booking visit, 36 weeks' gestation and six weeks postnatal) to determine changes in childbirth fear, confidence, knowledge and intention to pursue a vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC) in a current pregnancy, compared to those women receiving standard antenatal care. Method. A comparative descriptive study design was implemented following receipt of ethical approval from the study hospital. A total of 47 women who attended the NBAC service for their antenatal care and a comparison group of 45 women who attended the main hospital clinic were recruited. Descriptive statistics, chi-square and t-test analyses were used. Women provided additional qualitative comments at 36 weeks and six weeks postnatal regarding their perceptions of care, which were analysed using content analysis. Results. At recruitment, the comparison and NBAC groups were comparable for demographic variables and birth intention. Birth outcomes were not different with 15 out of 25 comparison women (60%) achieving their desired VBAC, compared to 20 out of 34 NBAC women (58.8%). At 36 weeks' gestation, NBAC women had increased knowledge of behavioural techniques to assist with labour and birth (p=0.0004) and higher self-efficacy (confidence) scores (p=0.011). There were no differences in terms of childbirth fear with both groups reporting high mean childbirth fear scores. Content analysis highlighted the positive and negative aspects of women's antenatal care experiences. Implications. Findings suggest that providing pregnant women who had experienced a previous CS with evidence-based information about birth options did increase their knowledge, confidence and satisfaction with care. Childbirth fear levels were high for both groups and midwives with appropriate skills may be ideally placed to provide counselling intervention in conjunction with antenatal care.

Method A cross-sectional study of 189 female university students using paper-based BarOn Emotional Quotient Inventory: Youth Version was conducted. BarOn EQ-i:YV consists of 7 sub-scores which estimate various domains of emotional intelligence along with general mood. The academic achievement was assessed via self-reported Grade Point Average (GPA). Result The average Intrapersonal score of participating students was 14.9 ± 3.4 and Interpersonal was 41.7 ± 4.9. The students scored 32.0 ± 5.0 in stress management scale and 31.9 ± 4 in adaptability. The lowest score achieved in the Emotional Inelegance scale was 32.5 whereas the top score was 71.3. The average general mood was 47.1 ± 6.4 and the positive impression ranged between 6 and 23 (17.3 ± 2.8). Positive week correlations were defined between the GPA and self-efficacy (r = 0.13) and Adaptability (r = 0.08) though these correlations were statistically insignificant (P > 0.05). Linear regression model showed that domains of BarOn scale could explain up to 33% of changes in GPA (R 2 = 0.33) with significant effect of self-efficacy, adaptability and general mood scores (P < 0.05). Conclusion Medical students showed high level of emotional intelligence which positively affect their academic achievement. Therefore, improving the emotional intelligence domains can help students improving their academic achievement. Disclosure of interest The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Introduction: Fear of childbirth (FOC) affects women's emotional health, preparation for birth, and outcomes of birth. Identifying the predictors of FOC can aid in identifying strategies for reducing women's FOC. Objective: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was aimed at determining the psychosocial predictors of FOC in pregnant women. Methods: The participants were 624 nulliparous and multiparous pregnant women in their last trimester. Data were collected using a personal information form, Wijma Delivery Expectancy/ Experience Questionnaire A, Childbirth Self-Efficacy Inventory, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Prenatal Self-Evaluation Questionnaire. Hierarchical regression analysis was performed to determine the predictors of FOC. Results: FOC was high among this study's participants and severe for one fifth of them. The psychosocial variables predicting FOC were self-efficacy and trait anxiety level, and spousal support was found to be a mediator variable in the relationship between self-efficacy and FOC. Conclusion: The findings suggest that psychosocial variables are key to predicting FOC.

Background: Fear and anxiety are considered the most common symptoms experienced by nulliparous women before a cesarean operation. Benson's therapy is one of the non-pharmacological strategies that has been associated with positive effects on various physical and psychological conditions and promoting relaxation before cesarean operation. Aim: The current study aimed to investigate the effect of Benson's relaxation therapy on pre-cesarean section fear and anxiety among nulliparous women. Design: A quasi-experimental research design was employed.

To investigate the relationship between multigravidas' perceptions of traumatic childbirth (PTC) and their socio-demographic characteristics and the effect of their previous types of birth and experiences on PTC. This descriptive study was conducted in a state hospital in Northern Turkey. The universe of the study consisted of multigravidas. The sample of the study comprised 161 pregnant women determined with G power analysis. The data were collected using the "Pregnant Introductory Information Form" and "Perception of Traumatic Childbirth Scale". The age, gestational week and the number of pregnancy of the participants were 28.27 ± 5.13, 30.45 ± 7.71 and 1.94 ± 1.07 respectively. The average PTC score was 70.57 ± 21.89. 1.9%, 28.6%i 39.1% and 23.6% of the pregnant women perceived their birth as "very low", "low", "moderate" and as "high" traumatic respectively. There was a negative correlation between the average PTC score and the gestational age, the number of pregnancies and the duration of the adverse events and positive correlation between the average PTC score and the number of hospital visits during pregnancy (p <0.05). Compared with those who had cesarean section and no intervention, PTC score was higher in those who had a previous vaginal delivery and interventions. The average PTC score of those planning to give vaginal delivery was higher than those planning cesarean birth (p <0.05). The women who had a chronic disease before pregnancy (p<0.05) and those who had a vaginal birth with only a midwife and were satisfied with her communication had lower PTC scores (p> 0.05). Six out of every 10 pregnant women perceived their delivery traumatic at a moderate / high level. PTC was higher in those having vaginal birth and an intervention previously and planning a vaginal birth again. The early identification of the risk of PTC before pregnancy or early pregnancy and taking precautions are recommended.

Background: Getting a high quality and respectful care during pregnancy and delivery is one of the ways to reduce complications in women. Respectful care is a type of care that requires a valid instrument to measure. This study was conducted to determine the validity and reliability of the Persian version of the Respectful Maternity Care (RMC) questionnaire in 2018. Methods: This study was performed on 150 women (In the rst 48 hours after delivery), who were admitted in the postpartum wards of public hospitals from 1 st January until 6 th April 2018 in Zanjan city in Iran. Participants were selected randomly using Poisson distribution (Time) sampling method. After receiving the permission from the questionnaire's author, the internal consistency of the tool was measured by Cronbach's alpha coe cient after the Forward translation of Persian version of the tool under the supervision of experts. The reliability of the modi ed questionnaire was assessed using a testretest method in 10 eligible postpartum women, who completed the same questionnaire after 72 hours again. The validity of the tool was con rmed by exploratory and con rmatory factor analysis using LISREL and SPSS soft wares. Results: The original RMC tool was achieved an overall high internal reliability (α =0.839). Con rmatory factor analysis of original RMC scores demonstrated poor t indices. In LISREL proposed paths for model, one item was excluded and a re-exploratory factor analysis was performed with the remaining 14 items. Four new subscales were de ned for the revised tool including Abusive Care, Effective Care, Friendly Care, and Respectful Communication , which explained 60% of the variance. Conclusions: The revised included four subscales of Abusive Care, Effective Care, Friendly Care, and Respectful Communication in 14 items which explained 60% of the variance. Given the importance of providing a high quality care in maternity, and variety of cultures and service delivery in different countries, further researches are needed on this RMC tool to be used in maternity care in different places.

Birth Ball Use in Labor ÖZ Doğum eylemi kadın hayatının unutulmaz anlarından biridir. Doğal bir süreç olan doğum eylemine gereksiz tıbbi müdahalelerde bulunulması ve kadınlarda doğum ağrısı yaşama kaygısı bu süreci olumsuz etkileyebilir. Bu sebeplerle Türkiye'de kadınların sezaryen tercihi çok yüksektir. Sezaryen oranlarını düşürmek için kullanılan yöntemlerden biri de doğum topuyla egzersizdir. Bu amaçla, hem gebelerin doğum ağrısını azaltmak ve pelvik tabanını genişletmek hem de normal doğumu teşvik etmek için doğum topu kullanımı yaygınlaşmaktadır. Ucuz ve kullanımı kolay olan, farmakolojik ve invaziv olmayan bir müdahale aracı olması sebebiyle doğum topu diğer yöntemlere göre tercih edilebilirdir. Literatürde doğum topuyla yapılan egzersiz sayesinde doğum eyleminin birinci ve ikinci evrelerinin süresinin kısaldığı, doğum ağrısının azaldığı, top kullanımının anne ve/veya fetüs üzerinde zararlı bir etkiye sahip olmadığı gösterilmiştir. Bu derleme doğum topu kullanımı hakkında kadınlara doğum eylemi sırasında bakım veren sağlık profesyonellerini bilgilendirmek ve doğum topu kullanımının etkilerini incelemek amacıyla yapılmıştır.

Background and objectives: Fear and anxiety during pregnancy will have a great impact on the mental health of the mother and the fetus, These conditions may be due to fear of childbirth, which can exacerbate sense of pain, severity of pain, anxiety, distress, discomfort and disability. Therefore, we decided to evaluate the factors affecting on fear of child birth.
Methods: This descriptive-analytic study was performed on 211 eligible mothers in health centers of Gorgan, Iran, in the second six months of 1396, by simple sampling. The Data was collected by Wijma Maternity Fear Questionnaire (A) and analyzed by SPSS software version 18, using Fisher and Kruskal Wallis tests at a significance level of 0.05.
Results: The range of maternal fear of childbirth scores was from 14 to 120 with a mean of 61.75 and a standard deviation of 22.99. About 77.2% of mothers had a mild or moderate, 18.5% had clinical and 4.3% had severe fear of childbirth. In this study, the pregnant woman’s and her husband’s job, as well as husband's level of education, were identified as the most important influencing factor on the fear of childbirth.
Conclusion: According to this study, 18.5% of the Nulliparous mothers had clinical and 4.3% had sever fear of Childbirth; therefore, in order to promote the pregnant mother’s mental health, new strategies should be adopted to reduce this fear. In addition, knowing the factors affecting this fear will help us to plan and implement strategies to deal with the fear of childbirth more accurately.

Background & Aim: To decrease the rate of caesarean section, complicated intervention for changing behaviors are required. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of mindfulness education on anxiety, fear of delivery, pain catastrophizing, and selecting caesarean section as the delivery method among nulliparous pregnant women who referred to Ziaeian Hospital. Methods & Materials : This clinical trial study was conducted on 38 eligible nulliparous pregnant women who referred to the prenatal clinic of Ziaeian Hospital during the time of the study and candidates for caesarean section. Participants were allocated into two groups of 19. The control only participated in childbirth preparation classes, but the intervention group, also participated in 8 mindful childbirth educating sessions based on the educational method of Nancy Bardacke. Data collection tools were Hartman’s Childbirth Attitudes Questionnaire, Spielberger’s State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Pain Cata...

One of life’s most amazing events is giving birth. But numerous expecting mothers experience FOC such that Fear of child birth and labor in a variety of ways according on their personalities, Past experiences, pregnancy, and delivery conditions. The experience of giving birth is one that has many facets, is complex, and is particular to each woman. It is further impacted by the social cultural system in which the woman lives. The occurrence of labor was strongly and unfavorably anticipated by anxiety regarding birthing. Seven of the main themes include dread of the unborn child, anxiety about parenting, fear connected to delivery or method, fear following a bad pregnancy or delivery, mental causes for fear of pregnancy, fear of suffering, and communal context. (The subjects who took part in this longitudinal analytical investigation includes 254 pregnant women who experienced more maternal anxiety had poorer maternity results and were more likely to deliver through caesarean section. The more the fear the higher the probability of having and undesirable delivery process. Fear acted as danger contributor to the delivery process. Promoting mindful listening and support techniques may help pregnant women feel more confident, which will lessen their dread of giving birth and enhance their experience throughout birthing

Fear of childbirth (FOC) is a common phenomenon that can impair functioning in pregnancy but potential longer term implications for the mother-infant relationship are little understood. This study was aimed at investigating postpartum implications of FOC on the mother-infant relationship. A UK sample of 341 women in a community setting provided data on anxiety, mood and FOC in mid-pregnancy and subsequently completed self-report measures of postnatal bonding in a longitudinal cohort study. Postnatal observations of mother-infant interactions were collected and rated for a subset of 141 women. FOC was associated with maternal perception of impaired bonding, even after controlling for sociodemographic factors, concurrent depression and the presence of anxiety disorders (Coef = 0.10, 95% CI 0.07–0.14, p &lt; 0.001). Observed mother-infant interactions were not associated with FOC (Coef = -0.01-0.03 CI − 0.02 to 0.02, p = 0.46), weakly with concurrent depression (Coef = − 0.10, CI − 0.1...

Background: Each pregnant woman desires normal labor and the trust from health staffs and the support from other people. This literature review is to determine the experiences of pregnant women at labor process. Aim: Knowing  the psychological and support of pregnant women. Methods: Five stages were used to conduct a scoping review. The stages include identifying research questions, identifying relevant studies, selecting studies, charting data and compiling, summarizing and reporting the results.  Result: the experience of giving birth in pregnant women includes experiences related to the knowledge and information received by them, adjustment, fears, hopes, readiness for childbirth, support from family and husbands. The information given can become the answer on the question and assist women in managing their mind, better understanding, and the support from other people. Conclucion: Interestingly, it was found that the women wanted a normal delivery and the trust of a health worker...

Background: Getting a high quality and respectful care during pregnancy and delivery is one of the ways to reduce complications in women. Respectful care is a type of care that requires a valid instrument to measure. This study was conducted to determine the validity and reliability of the Persian version of the Respectful Maternity Care (RMC) questionnaire in 2018. Methods: This study was performed on 150 women (In the rst 48 hours after delivery), who were admitted in the postpartum wards of public hospitals from 1 st January until 6 th April 2018 in Zanjan city in Iran. Participants were selected randomly using Poisson distribution (Time) sampling method. After receiving the permission from the questionnaire's author, the internal consistency of the tool was measured by Cronbach's alpha coe cient after the Forward translation of Persian version of the tool under the supervision of experts. The reliability of the modi ed questionnaire was assessed using a testretest method in 10 eligible postpartum women, who completed the same questionnaire after 72 hours again. The validity of the tool was con rmed by exploratory and con rmatory factor analysis using LISREL and SPSS soft wares. Results: The original RMC tool was achieved an overall high internal reliability (α =0.839). Con rmatory factor analysis of original RMC scores demonstrated poor t indices. In LISREL proposed paths for model, one item was excluded and a re-exploratory factor analysis was performed with the remaining 14 items. Four new subscales were de ned for the revised tool including Abusive Care, Effective Care, Friendly Care, and Respectful Communication , which explained 60% of the variance. Conclusions: The revised included four subscales of Abusive Care, Effective Care, Friendly Care, and Respectful Communication in 14 items which explained 60% of the variance. Given the importance of providing a high quality care in maternity, and variety of cultures and service delivery in different countries, further researches are needed on this RMC tool to be used in maternity care in different places.

Background: Antenatal group discussions (AGDs) are utilized in antenatal peer support. Its application in controlling fear of childbirth (FOC) has not been widely studied in Africa. We examined the effect of AGDs on FOC among pregnant women. Methods: This experiment was done between in 2020 at a teaching hospital in Nigeria. We randomly assigned 218 consenting primigravid women into treatment (n = 111) and control groups (n = 107) and followed them from 31 to 38 weeks of gestation. The treatment group had one AGD session per week for 6 weeks, with each session lasting 120 minutes. The control group had no AGDs. The FOC Questionnaire was used for collecting data at 31 and 38 weeks of gestation. Inferential statistics were used for data analyses at a 5% significance level using SPSS 21. Results: At 31 weeks of pregnancy, 80.2% and 72.9% of participants in the treatment and control groups had unhealthy FOC (range 5 - 9) with no significant difference between the groups (p = 0.204). At ...

Amaç: Çalışmanın amacı, gebelerde doğum korkusu düzeyinin belirlenmesi ve doğum korkusuyla ilişkili bazı değişkenlerin belirlenmesidir.Yöntem: Çalışma kesitsel bir çalışmadır. Çalışmanın verileri, 1 Haziran-31 Aralık 2018 tarihleri arasında bir kadın-doğum hastanesinin NST ünitesinde toplandı. Çalışmaya dahil edilme kriterlerini karşılayan 291 gebe araştırma örneklemini oluşturdu. Çalışmada araştırmacılar tarafından literatür taranarak hazılranmış 28 sorudan oluşan Çalışmada gebelerin sosyo-demografik ve obstetrik özelliklerini belirleyebilecek 28 sorudan oluşan anket formu ve VİJMA doğum beklentisi/deneyimi Ölçeği A versiyonu kullanılmıştır. (SOD), Katalaz (KAT) aktiviteleri, Glutatyon (GSH), Malondialdehit (MDA) düzeyleri ve inflamasyon belirteçleri (IL-1α, IL-1β) araştırılmıştır. Bulgular: Gebelerin VİJMA doğum beklentisi puan ortalaması 55,35+21,94’dür. Kesme noktasına göre değerlendirildiğinde gebelerin %21,6’sı düşük, %43,7’si orta, %26,5’i ağır ve %8,2’si klinik düzeyde doğum...

Background: Fear of childbirth is an anxiety associated with childbirth, which manifests itself in physical and concentration problems. It is often associated with requesting a cesarean section, and it is prevalent in nulliparous women. This is a study aimed to summarize the published research on the factors for fear of childbirth in nulliparous women in Iran.Methods: This study was conducted based on the PRISMA statement. A literature search was performed on nine electronic databases (Web of Sciences, Since Direct, Scopus, PubMed, Cochrane Library, ProQuest, and Persian databases including Scientific Information Database, Irandoc, and Magiran) using keywords related to fear of childbirth, factors, nulliparous, and Iran from 2000 to 2020. This study included cross-sectional studies with full-text in English or Persian in Iran. The quality of the selected studies was evaluated independently by two authors and via the STROBE checklist.Results: In this study, 93 articles were identifie...

AimThe aim of this study was to determine the effect of antenatal education on fear of childbirth, acceptance of pregnancy and identification with motherhood role.BackgroundThere is insufficient evidence pertaining to the effect of antenatal education on fear of childbirth, acceptance of pregnancy and identification with motherhood role.IntroductionThe purpose of antenatal education is to help couples make the right decisions during delivery. Through antenatal education, couples prepare themselves for delivery.MethodsThis is a quasi‐experimental and prospective study that employs a pre‐ and post‐education model. In total, 192 pregnant women (education group, n = 69 and control group, n = 123) participated in the study. Data were collected using the pregnancy identification form: the Prenatal Self‐Evaluation Questionnaire and a version of the Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire.ResultsPrior to participating in the study, the education group and control group had simila...