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Fear of childbirth in obstetrically low-risk nulliparous women in Sweden and Denmark

Kjaergaard, Hanne LU ; Wijma, Klaas ; Dykes, Anna-Karin LU and Alehagen, Siw (2008) In Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology 26(4). p.340-350
Abstract
The prevalence of troublesome fear of childbirth (FOC) in Western countries is about 20%, of which approximately 6-10% suffer from severe FOC that impacts daily life. The countries of Sweden and Denmark are quite alike as far as childbirth culture is concerned. However, to some extent they differ in the organisation of midwifery care during the antenatal and labour period, respectively, and this may influence women's FOC. The aims of this study were to compare FOC among Danish and Swedish nulliparous women and to investigate a possible difference in FOC between women who, during pregnancy, had met the midwife who they were subsequently coincidentally allocated to receive labour care from and women who had not previously met the midwife. In... (More)
The prevalence of troublesome fear of childbirth (FOC) in Western countries is about 20%, of which approximately 6-10% suffer from severe FOC that impacts daily life. The countries of Sweden and Denmark are quite alike as far as childbirth culture is concerned. However, to some extent they differ in the organisation of midwifery care during the antenatal and labour period, respectively, and this may influence women's FOC. The aims of this study were to compare FOC among Danish and Swedish nulliparous women and to investigate a possible difference in FOC between women who, during pregnancy, had met the midwife who they were subsequently coincidentally allocated to receive labour care from and women who had not previously met the midwife. In total 165 women participated, comprising 55 Swedes and 110 Danes, of whom 55 among the latter group had met the midwife during pregnancy. Severe FOC was found in 10%. There were no differences between the Swedish women and the Danish women who had or had not met the midwife. Fear of childbirth measured in gestational week 37 correlated positively with fear at admission to the labour ward. (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Denmark, Sweden, cross-national comparison, Fear of childbirth, nulliparous women
in
Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology
volume
26
issue
4
pages
340 - 350
publisher
Routledge
external identifiers
  • wos:000260605700006
  • scopus:55849096231
ISSN
0264-6838
DOI
10.1080/02646830802408498
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Division of Nursing (Closed 2012) (013065000)
id
d5667ec6-176d-4fb8-924c-0fdabc1feb81 (old id 1283062)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 14:15:58
date last changed
2025-02-15 04:04:48
@article{d5667ec6-176d-4fb8-924c-0fdabc1feb81,
  abstract     = {{The prevalence of troublesome fear of childbirth (FOC) in Western countries is about 20%, of which approximately 6-10% suffer from severe FOC that impacts daily life. The countries of Sweden and Denmark are quite alike as far as childbirth culture is concerned. However, to some extent they differ in the organisation of midwifery care during the antenatal and labour period, respectively, and this may influence women's FOC. The aims of this study were to compare FOC among Danish and Swedish nulliparous women and to investigate a possible difference in FOC between women who, during pregnancy, had met the midwife who they were subsequently coincidentally allocated to receive labour care from and women who had not previously met the midwife. In total 165 women participated, comprising 55 Swedes and 110 Danes, of whom 55 among the latter group had met the midwife during pregnancy. Severe FOC was found in 10%. There were no differences between the Swedish women and the Danish women who had or had not met the midwife. Fear of childbirth measured in gestational week 37 correlated positively with fear at admission to the labour ward.}},
  author       = {{Kjaergaard, Hanne and Wijma, Klaas and Dykes, Anna-Karin and Alehagen, Siw}},
  issn         = {{0264-6838}},
  keywords     = {{Denmark; Sweden; cross-national comparison; Fear of childbirth; nulliparous women}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{340--350}},
  publisher    = {{Routledge}},
  series       = {{Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology}},
  title        = {{Fear of childbirth in obstetrically low-risk nulliparous women in Sweden and Denmark}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02646830802408498}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/02646830802408498}},
  volume       = {{26}},
  year         = {{2008}},
}