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The effects of counseling on fear of childbirth

Larsson, Birgitta ; Karlström, Annika ; Rubertsson, Christine LU and Hildingsson, Ingegerd (2015) In Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica 94(6). p.629-636
Abstract

Objective To investigate women's experiences of attending existing counseling programs for childbirth-related fear and the effect of this counseling over time. Design A longitudinal survey. Setting Three hospitals in the central north of Sweden. Sample A selected sample of 936 women. Of these, 70 received counseling due to fear of childbirth (study-group). Methods Data were collected with questionnaires 2 months and 1 year after giving birth with background data collected during midpregnancy. Comparisons were made between women with or without counseling. Crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR) were calculated. Main outcome measures Self-reported childbirth fear, experience of counseling, birth experience and preferred mode of birth.... (More)

Objective To investigate women's experiences of attending existing counseling programs for childbirth-related fear and the effect of this counseling over time. Design A longitudinal survey. Setting Three hospitals in the central north of Sweden. Sample A selected sample of 936 women. Of these, 70 received counseling due to fear of childbirth (study-group). Methods Data were collected with questionnaires 2 months and 1 year after giving birth with background data collected during midpregnancy. Comparisons were made between women with or without counseling. Crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR) were calculated. Main outcome measures Self-reported childbirth fear, experience of counseling, birth experience and preferred mode of birth. Results Women in the counseling group reported higher childbirth fear 1 year after giving birth (OR 5.0, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 2.6-9.3), they had a more negative birth experience that did not change over time (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.2-3.9) and they preferred cesarean section to a greater extent (OR 12.0, 95% CI 5.1-28.1) in the case of another birth. Also, they were more often delivered by planned cesarean section (OR 4.7, 95% CI 2.4-9.1). However, 80% were satisfied with the given support. Conclusion Although women were satisfied with the treatment, this study shows that counseling had a minor effect on fear of childbirth, birth experiences or cesarean section rates. To help women with their fear of childbirth, more effective methods of treatment are needed.

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author
; ; and
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
keywords
Birth experience, cesarean section, childbirth fear, counseling, support
in
Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica
volume
94
issue
6
pages
8 pages
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • scopus:84929144778
  • pmid:25772528
ISSN
0001-6349
DOI
10.1111/aogs.12634
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
c01b6d40-8990-4282-a95d-a725dafe4593
date added to LUP
2017-10-27 13:42:17
date last changed
2024-04-14 20:30:46
@article{c01b6d40-8990-4282-a95d-a725dafe4593,
  abstract     = {{<p>Objective To investigate women's experiences of attending existing counseling programs for childbirth-related fear and the effect of this counseling over time. Design A longitudinal survey. Setting Three hospitals in the central north of Sweden. Sample A selected sample of 936 women. Of these, 70 received counseling due to fear of childbirth (study-group). Methods Data were collected with questionnaires 2 months and 1 year after giving birth with background data collected during midpregnancy. Comparisons were made between women with or without counseling. Crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR) were calculated. Main outcome measures Self-reported childbirth fear, experience of counseling, birth experience and preferred mode of birth. Results Women in the counseling group reported higher childbirth fear 1 year after giving birth (OR 5.0, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 2.6-9.3), they had a more negative birth experience that did not change over time (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.2-3.9) and they preferred cesarean section to a greater extent (OR 12.0, 95% CI 5.1-28.1) in the case of another birth. Also, they were more often delivered by planned cesarean section (OR 4.7, 95% CI 2.4-9.1). However, 80% were satisfied with the given support. Conclusion Although women were satisfied with the treatment, this study shows that counseling had a minor effect on fear of childbirth, birth experiences or cesarean section rates. To help women with their fear of childbirth, more effective methods of treatment are needed.</p>}},
  author       = {{Larsson, Birgitta and Karlström, Annika and Rubertsson, Christine and Hildingsson, Ingegerd}},
  issn         = {{0001-6349}},
  keywords     = {{Birth experience; cesarean section; childbirth fear; counseling; support}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{06}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{629--636}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica}},
  title        = {{The effects of counseling on fear of childbirth}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/aogs.12634}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/aogs.12634}},
  volume       = {{94}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}