Fear of childbirth and its determinants in pregnant women in the third trimester: a cross-sectional study

Abstract Background Fear of childbirth (FOC) is a prevalent issue among pregnant women and significantly relates to adverse outcomes for the mother and child. However, it is not clear the prevalence and risk factors of FOC among pregnant women in a region with a moderate level of economic developmen...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Teng Zhang, Meilin Liu, Fanli Min, Wei Wei, Yuan Liu, Jiao Tong, Qian Meng, Lizhou Sun, Xu Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2023-08-01
Series:BMC Psychiatry
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-05070-7
_version_ 1827709098829807616
author Teng Zhang
Meilin Liu
Fanli Min
Wei Wei
Yuan Liu
Jiao Tong
Qian Meng
Lizhou Sun
Xu Chen
author_facet Teng Zhang
Meilin Liu
Fanli Min
Wei Wei
Yuan Liu
Jiao Tong
Qian Meng
Lizhou Sun
Xu Chen
author_sort Teng Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Fear of childbirth (FOC) is a prevalent issue among pregnant women and significantly relates to adverse outcomes for the mother and child. However, it is not clear the prevalence and risk factors of FOC among pregnant women in a region with a moderate level of economic development in China. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of FOC among pregnant women in the third trimester of pregnancy in Lianyungang city, Eastern China. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted from December 2022 to February 2023 among pregnant women in the third trimester who met the inclusion criteria and visited Lianyungang Maternal and Child Health Hospital in Jiangsu Province, Eastern China. A structured questionnaire including sociodemographic characteristics, clinical characteristics, FOC, family function, doctor-patient communication, social support, general self-efficacy, anxiety, depression, insomnia symptoms, and quality of life was used to collect data. A multiple linear regression model was used to identify predictors of FOC. Results This study included 535 pregnant women in the third trimester. The mean score of FOC was 30.67 ± 10.18, and the median score was 29.00. The prevalence of FOC was 56.64%. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that pregnant women with electronic screen exposure time more than 5 h per day (β = 2.02, 95%CI: 0.50–3.53, P < 0.05), no history of cesarean section (β = 2.66, 95%CI: 0.61–4.71, P < 0.05), likes sour food or hates greasy food (β = 1.75, 95%CI: 0.00-3.50, P < 0.05), anxiety (β = 0.50, 95%CI: 0.21–0.80, P < 0.05) and depression (β = 0.30, 95%CI: 0.04–0.57, P < 0.05) were more likely to have a greater level of FOC than their counterparts. However, a significantly lower level of FOC was observed in pregnant women who were multipara (β=-1.64, 95%CI: -3.27–0.01, P < 0.05), not worrying about delivery without family members (β=-3.75, 95%CI: -5.26–2.25, P < 0.001), had good family function (β=-0.32, 95%CI: -0.64–0.00, P < 0.05) and doctor-patient communication (β=-0.33, 95%CI: -0.64–0.02, P < 0.05). Conclusions The prevalence of FOC was high in Lianyungang city, Eastern China. FOC is influenced by multiple factors. There is an urgent need to develop interventions to reduce the prevalence of FOC in the third trimester of pregnancy, and to pay attention to pregnant women with risk factors for FOC.
first_indexed 2024-03-10T17:16:14Z
format Article
id doaj.art-650a898861654e739589987bdb6955e6
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1471-244X
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-10T17:16:14Z
publishDate 2023-08-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series BMC Psychiatry
spelling doaj.art-650a898861654e739589987bdb6955e62023-11-20T10:30:33ZengBMCBMC Psychiatry1471-244X2023-08-0123111210.1186/s12888-023-05070-7Fear of childbirth and its determinants in pregnant women in the third trimester: a cross-sectional studyTeng Zhang0Meilin Liu1Fanli Min2Wei Wei3Yuan Liu4Jiao Tong5Qian Meng6Lizhou Sun7Xu Chen8Department of Obstetrics, Lianyungang Maternal and Child Health HospitalDepartment of Obstetrics, Lianyungang Maternal and Child Health HospitalDepartment of Obstetrics, Lianyungang Maternal and Child Health HospitalDepartment of Obstetrics, Lianyungang Maternal and Child Health HospitalDepartment of Obstetrics, Lianyungang Maternal and Child Health HospitalDepartment of Obstetrics, Lianyungang Maternal and Child Health HospitalDepartment of Obstetrics, Lianyungang Maternal and Child Health HospitalDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical UniversityDepartment of Obstetrics, Lianyungang Maternal and Child Health HospitalAbstract Background Fear of childbirth (FOC) is a prevalent issue among pregnant women and significantly relates to adverse outcomes for the mother and child. However, it is not clear the prevalence and risk factors of FOC among pregnant women in a region with a moderate level of economic development in China. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of FOC among pregnant women in the third trimester of pregnancy in Lianyungang city, Eastern China. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted from December 2022 to February 2023 among pregnant women in the third trimester who met the inclusion criteria and visited Lianyungang Maternal and Child Health Hospital in Jiangsu Province, Eastern China. A structured questionnaire including sociodemographic characteristics, clinical characteristics, FOC, family function, doctor-patient communication, social support, general self-efficacy, anxiety, depression, insomnia symptoms, and quality of life was used to collect data. A multiple linear regression model was used to identify predictors of FOC. Results This study included 535 pregnant women in the third trimester. The mean score of FOC was 30.67 ± 10.18, and the median score was 29.00. The prevalence of FOC was 56.64%. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that pregnant women with electronic screen exposure time more than 5 h per day (β = 2.02, 95%CI: 0.50–3.53, P < 0.05), no history of cesarean section (β = 2.66, 95%CI: 0.61–4.71, P < 0.05), likes sour food or hates greasy food (β = 1.75, 95%CI: 0.00-3.50, P < 0.05), anxiety (β = 0.50, 95%CI: 0.21–0.80, P < 0.05) and depression (β = 0.30, 95%CI: 0.04–0.57, P < 0.05) were more likely to have a greater level of FOC than their counterparts. However, a significantly lower level of FOC was observed in pregnant women who were multipara (β=-1.64, 95%CI: -3.27–0.01, P < 0.05), not worrying about delivery without family members (β=-3.75, 95%CI: -5.26–2.25, P < 0.001), had good family function (β=-0.32, 95%CI: -0.64–0.00, P < 0.05) and doctor-patient communication (β=-0.33, 95%CI: -0.64–0.02, P < 0.05). Conclusions The prevalence of FOC was high in Lianyungang city, Eastern China. FOC is influenced by multiple factors. There is an urgent need to develop interventions to reduce the prevalence of FOC in the third trimester of pregnancy, and to pay attention to pregnant women with risk factors for FOC.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-05070-7Fear of childbirthPregnant womenAssociated factorsChina
spellingShingle Teng Zhang
Meilin Liu
Fanli Min
Wei Wei
Yuan Liu
Jiao Tong
Qian Meng
Lizhou Sun
Xu Chen
Fear of childbirth and its determinants in pregnant women in the third trimester: a cross-sectional study
BMC Psychiatry
Fear of childbirth
Pregnant women
Associated factors
China
title Fear of childbirth and its determinants in pregnant women in the third trimester: a cross-sectional study
title_full Fear of childbirth and its determinants in pregnant women in the third trimester: a cross-sectional study
title_fullStr Fear of childbirth and its determinants in pregnant women in the third trimester: a cross-sectional study
title_full_unstemmed Fear of childbirth and its determinants in pregnant women in the third trimester: a cross-sectional study
title_short Fear of childbirth and its determinants in pregnant women in the third trimester: a cross-sectional study
title_sort fear of childbirth and its determinants in pregnant women in the third trimester a cross sectional study
topic Fear of childbirth
Pregnant women
Associated factors
China
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-05070-7
work_keys_str_mv AT tengzhang fearofchildbirthanditsdeterminantsinpregnantwomeninthethirdtrimesteracrosssectionalstudy
AT meilinliu fearofchildbirthanditsdeterminantsinpregnantwomeninthethirdtrimesteracrosssectionalstudy
AT fanlimin fearofchildbirthanditsdeterminantsinpregnantwomeninthethirdtrimesteracrosssectionalstudy
AT weiwei fearofchildbirthanditsdeterminantsinpregnantwomeninthethirdtrimesteracrosssectionalstudy
AT yuanliu fearofchildbirthanditsdeterminantsinpregnantwomeninthethirdtrimesteracrosssectionalstudy
AT jiaotong fearofchildbirthanditsdeterminantsinpregnantwomeninthethirdtrimesteracrosssectionalstudy
AT qianmeng fearofchildbirthanditsdeterminantsinpregnantwomeninthethirdtrimesteracrosssectionalstudy
AT lizhousun fearofchildbirthanditsdeterminantsinpregnantwomeninthethirdtrimesteracrosssectionalstudy
AT xuchen fearofchildbirthanditsdeterminantsinpregnantwomeninthethirdtrimesteracrosssectionalstudy