engleski

Fear of Childbirth in Pregnant and Non-Pregnant Croatian Women

The delivery of a baby is a significant event in the life of most women. Due to its unpredictable and uncontrollable nature, it is also often a very stressful event. Approximately 10% of women experience severe fear of childbirth (FOC). To date, research examining FOC has been mostly carried out in pregnant women. As such, it is not known how often this fear is present amongst non-pregnant women. The aim of this study was to estimate the frequency of FOC in two groups (pregnant women and non-pregnant students), and understand the predictors of FOC in each group. Pregnant women (N=205) in the 8th and 9th month of pregnancy and non-pregnant female students (N=318) participated in the study. Pregnant women (average age: 31 years) and non-pregnant students (average age: 22 years) completed the adapted Croatian version of the Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire (W-DEQ, version A), the Stait-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI, trait scale), the Anxiety Sensitivity Inventory (ASI), and a demographic questionnaire. Both groups were also asked to provide an estimate of expected average labour pain. Results demonstrated that approximately 11% of pregnant women and 27% of students experience severe FOC. In pregnant women, parity, expected average labour pain, trait anxiety, and physical concerns of anxiety sensitivity were predictors of FOC. Amongst students, only expected average labour pain and trait anxiety contributed to FOC. These results suggest that FOC is not just situational fear related to pregnancy. Predictors of FOC are somewhat different among non-pregnant women comparing with women in late stage of pregnancy. Practical and theoretical implications of these results will be discussed.

fear of childbirth; pregnant women; non-pregnant women; anxiety sensitivity

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