A new study has revealed women are even more afraid of childbirth than previously thought (file pic)
Every woman who’s endured a baby shower has had to sit through hideous stories about labour and childbirth.
Now, a new study has revealed women are even more afraid of childbirth than previously thought.
And it’s not just the pain.
The research revealed mothers-to-be are as concerned about their health care providers and place of birth they are about pain or complications.
This, in turn, increases their risk of postpartum [postnatal] depression further down the line.
Experts say fear of pregnancy and fear of childbirth are perfectly normal.
‘Every pregnant woman, even the most confident – has some degree of concern about what it will feel like, how she will manage, and what might happen,’ says the National Childbirth Trust website.
‘But for a minority of women, the worry is a lot stronger.’
The condition, sometimes known as ‘tokophobia’, means fear of childbirth.
One study estimates that 20 per cent of women are affected to some extent by fear of childbirth, and 6 per cent are so scared of giving that it affects their pregnancy and birth choices.
Some women avoid getting pregnant, or they opt for termination, or they feel very strongly they want to have a Caesarean section.
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The authors of the new study say their findings are a lukewarm endorsement at best of the maternity care given to mothers in the United States compared to more family friendly countries like Sweden.
The goal of their study was to learn which aspects of childbirth women feared, and whether their fears are being acknowledged and addressed by those who care for them.
Researchers polled three small, diverse focus groups of women who were pregnant or had recently given birth.
While some fear in expectant mothers is normal and helpful in planning and asking questions of providers, excessive fear can lead to complications during pregnancy and birth, says Lee Roosevelt, clinical assistant professor at the University of Michigan School of Nursing.
She says the study, while relatively small, highlights the need for more research on the topic.
The research also revealed mothers-to-be are as concerned about their health care providers and place of birth they are about pain or complications
‘Women who have significant fear of childbirth are more likely to have C-sections, longer labours, and to need induction,’ said Ms Roosevelt, who is also a midwife.
‘They’re also more likely to have postpartum [postnatal] depression.’
Despite knowing many women are concerned about childbirth, the researchers say they were surprised by the results.
Not only were pregnant women more afraid than previously thought, their fears extend far beyond common worries about pain or birth complications, said Ms Roosevelt.
In particular, one of the greatest fears is being abandoned by the clinician.
THE DANGER OF HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE DURING PREGNANCY
Pregnant women with only mildly raised blood pressure are at far higher risk of becoming obese or developing diabetes after the birth, researchers claim.
They have found that expectant mothers whose readings were only just above normal were up to six times more likely to develop these complications.
The academics, from Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, in Guangzhou, are worried that tens of thousands of pregnant women are being overlooked by midwives and doctors who assume their blood pressure is healthy.
The problem occurs because blood pressure tends to fall during the first three months of pregnancy, due to certain hormonal changes to accommodate for the foetus.
But this means that women who actually have high blood pressure are recorded as being within the normal range, or just above.
The researchers have found that these women are 6.5 times more likely to develop a complication after the birth, called postpartum metabolic syndrome, which includes obesity, diabetes and raised cholesterol.
She said: ‘They worry their clinicians won’t treat them respectfully or listen to their concerns, or won’t attend the actual birth.’
Women also reported being worried they’d be expected to bear the brunt of decision-making responsibility, or that their decisions wouldn’t be respected.
Others worried how they’d be treated if they didn’t have good insurance (which is necessary to pay for healthcare in the US).
‘I knew as a clinician and midwife myself that the relationship that I have with patients is so essential – but I didn’t really realise how key it was to women’s fears,’ Ms Roosevelt added.
Commenting on the findings, Lisa Kane Low, associate professor at the U-M School of Nursing, said: ‘The results say a lot about how we do maternity care in this country.’
She believes a better way for clinicians to address fears is to pose open-ended questions about how women regard their pregnancy and childbirth, rather than asking specific questions about common fears.
‘Women want to be in a discussion with their provider about their fears,’ she said.
‘They don’t want to be patted on the back and told, “Oh, that’s normal, you’re having a baby”.
The researchers hope to develop a survey tool to accurately assess a woman’s fear of childbirth and examine how fear affects the physiology of pregnant women.
The U-M study is one of the few on fear of childbirth conducted in the U.S.
Most research has occurred in the Netherlands and Sweden, which have more integrated health care systems and maternity friendly policies, Ms Kane Lowe says.
The study is available online at the Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing.