Predictors of Fear of Childbirth in the Primiparous Women in Ardabil-Iran

ABSTRACT Introduction: Fear Of Childbirth (FOC) is the main factor leading to elective and emergency cesarean section. FOC and prenatal depression affect the women and fetus health status and it is associated with negative neonatal outcomes during pregnancy. Aim: To determine the predictors of FOC in pregnant women. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 230 primiparous women between 24th and 30th weeks of pregnancy who referred to 17 urban healthcare centres of Ardabil-Iran. Six centres of 17 urban healthcare centres were randomly selected using a cluster sampling method. A list of the women who met the inclusion criteria and willing to participate in this study was prepared. The socio-demographic questionnaire, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and Wijma Delivery Expectancy Questionnaire (WDEQ-A) were used to collect data through in-person interviews. The statistical analyses were performed with the Pearson’s correlation test and the general linear model. Results: The mean (SD) scores of the WDEQ-A and the EPDS were 58.4 (26.1) and 8.9 (5.1), respectively. More than one-third of women (38.6%) had high FOC and about one-third (34.1%) had moderate FOC. On the base of the Pearson’s correlation test, there was a significant correlation between FOC and depression (p<0.001, r=0.51). Moreover, based on the general linear model, the variables of depression, sufficiency of family income and non-male fetal gender were predictors of FOC and they explained 28.5% of the variance in childbirth fear. Conclusion: The present results showed that the pregnancy depression correlated with FOC. Therefore, identifying and treating depressed pregnant women can decrease FOC and its complication on the women and neonates. It may be also effective in reducing unnecessary cesarean sections.