Mental health problems and fear of childbirth: A cohort study of women in an inner-city maternity service

Cluster Analysis of Fear of Childbirth, Anxiety, Depression, and Childbirth Self-Efficacy

OBJECTIVE

To identify clusters of women based on anxiety, depression, fear of birth, and childbirth self-efficacy and factors associated with the clusters.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional survey.

SETTING

Online in Sweden.

PARTICIPANTS

Pregnant women (N = 1,419).

METHODS

We collected data through online questionnaires. We included scales to measure anxiety, depression, worries about and fear of birth, and self-efficacy in a kappa-means cluster analysis. We calculated odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals between clusters and background variables.

RESULTS

We identified 4 clusters based on severity: Resourceful-Robust, Resourceful-Fearful, Vulnerable-Fearful, and Fragile-Fearful. Participants in the Resourceful-Fearful and Vulnerable-Fearful clusters were more likely to report mental health problems than those in the Resourceful-Robust cluster. Participants in the Vulnerable-Fearful and Fragile-Fearful clusters were more likely to report mental health problems than those in the Resourceful-Robust cluster. Participants in the Fragile-Fearful cluster were more likely to be multiparous, report that their pregnancy was not normal, and prefer cesarean birth than those in the Resourceful-Robust cluster.

CONCLUSIONS

Women with childbirth fear may be vulnerable to anxiety and depression during the perinatal period, although the severity might vary. Self-efficacy might be a mediator against mental health problems. Findings demonstrated levels of severity, and the one-size-fits-all approach in Swedish health care may benefit from a more targeted approach for women with fear of childbirth.

The RETHINK Study: Could pain catastrophising explain why some women are more likely to attend hospital during the latent phase of labour

OBJECTIVE

To examine the prevalence of pain catastrophising and identify whether it impacts on the timing of hospital admission when in labour.

METHODS

A longitudinal cohort study. Nulliparous women, experiencing an uncomplicated pregnancy in England, were recruited between 25 and 33 weeks gestation. Participants completed two online questionnaires, (1) on recruitment, including the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) and the Wijma Delivery Expectancy Questionnaire (WDEQ-A) (2) at three weeks postnatal.

RESULTS

A total of 389 eligible participants entered the study. The percentage of women who were pain catastrophisers (PCS ≥ 20) was 28.1 %, while 7.6 % had a high pain catastrophising score (PCS ≥ 30). There was no association between pain catastrophising and the timing of hospital admission. The percentage of women reporting fear of childbirth (WDEQ-A score of ≥ 85) was 10.6 %. Fear of childbirth was highly associated with PCS scores (p <.001) at both the lower (≥20) and higher (≥30) thresholds.

CONCLUSION

Although not statistically significant, there was a tendency for women who pain catastrophise to present to hospital in the latent phase. The highly significant association between PCS and WDEQ-A scores has implications for the identification of these women and suggests that the PCS can be used as a screening tool to identify those women who have heightened fear around pain and who may also go on to develop clinically relevant fear of childbirth. Further studies are needed to confirm the acceptability of the PCS as a screening tool with women.

The association between fear of childbirth and social support through the Internet and Social Networking Services in pregnant women: A cross-sectional study

Social support is an important factor in reducing fear of childbirth (FOC). Recently, the Internet and Social Networking Services (SNS) have become new forms of social support. However, it is unclear whether such support can reduce pregnant women's fear. This study aimed to investigate the association between FOC and social support through the Internet and SNS in pregnant women. A cross-sectional study using a web-based questionnaire including questions about FOC, social support, the Internet and SNS usage, psychological variables, and sociodemographic variables was conducted. Data from 111 participants were analyzed. A greater number of social support from people who are often seen during pregnancy, and becoming relieved by interaction with others through the Internet and SNS were negatively associated with FOC. This study showed that face-to-face social support was associated with lower FOC, while social support through the Internet and SNS was not. Further research is needed on how to use Internet and SNS to reduce FOC in pregnant women.

The impact of fear of childbirth on mode of delivery, postpartum mental health and breastfeeding: A prospective cohort study in Shanghai, China

BACKGROUND

The prevalence and impact of fear of childbirth (FOC) has not been sufficiently understood. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of FOC among Chinese population and its impact on mode of delivery, postpartum mental health and breastfeeding.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective cohort study, wherein pregnant women in their third trimester who underwent antenatal assessments at Shanghai Changning Maternity and Infant Health Hospital between September 2020 and March 2021 were recruited. Sociodemographic data of the participants were gathered by self-administered questionnaire, and their FOC was assessed using the Wijma Delivery Expectancy Questionnaire. Participants were followed up to 42 days postpartum. Information regarding their modes of delivery was retrieved from medical records, and data regarding postpartum mental health symptoms and one-month postpartum breastfeeding were obtained through self-administered questionnaires.

RESULTS

Among 1287 participants, 461 (35.8 %) had high-level FOC (W-DEQ ≥ 66). Logistic regressions showed that women with high-level of FOC had higher rates of caesarean delivery on maternal request (CDMR) (aOR = 1.55, 95 % CI: 1.00-2.41, p = 0.049), a higher incidence of postpartum mental health symptoms (aOR = 1.68, 95 % CI: 1.09-2.59, p = 0.018), lower rates of one-month postpartum exclusive breastfeeding (aOR = 0.33, 95 % CI: 0.16-0.69, p = 0.003) and mixed feeding (aOR = 0.44, 95 % CI: 0.21-0.91, p = 0.028).

LIMITATIONS

The long-term implications of FOC beyond the immediate postpartum period were not explored in the study.

CONCLUSIONS

High-level FOC during the third trimester was associated with increased CDMR and postpartum mental health symptoms and reduced breastfeeding establishment. These results underscore the significance of FOC screening and tailored interventions for affected women.

Patient and therapist experiences of exposure therapy for anxiety-related disorders in pregnancy: qualitative analysis of a feasibility trial of intensive versus weekly CBT

BACKGROUND

Approximately 15% of pregnant women experience anxiety disorders. Effective treatments exist but their acceptability during pregnancy, particularly exposure therapy, is not known.

AIMS

To understand patient and therapist experiences of time-intensive and weekly exposure-based therapy for anxiety disorders delivered during pregnancy. Trial registration: ISRCTN81203286.

METHOD

In-depth interviews were conducted with patients and therapists who had taken part in a feasibility trial of predominantly online time-intensive versus weekly cognitive-behavioural therapy in pregnancy in a primary care setting in the UK. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

RESULTS

In total, 45 women participating in the trial and 6 therapists who had delivered the treatments were interviewed. Five themes were developed from the data that showed convergence from therapist and patient perspectives: 'Acquiring tools to navigate the perinatal period'; 'Motivated yet constrained by pregnancy'; 'Having the confidence to face fears and tolerate uncertainty'; 'Momentum with the need for flexibility'; 'Being removed from the face-to-face world'.

CONCLUSIONS

Exposure therapy is acceptable and helpful in pregnancy and can lead to lasting gains. Exposure is a key element of treatment and needs to be confidently conducted by therapists with perinatal knowledge and expertise. Treatments need to consider the unfolding context of pregnancy. The momentum of intensive therapy can lead to rapid improvements, but is demanding for both patients and therapists, especially fitting round other commitments. Online treatments can work well and are a good fit for perinatal women, but this needs to be balanced with the need for social connection, suggesting a hybrid model is the ideal.

Impact of Virtual Operating Room Tours on Relieving Perioperative Anxiety in Adult Patients: A Systematic Review

PURPOSE

To evaluate the effects of virtual operating room tours on perioperative anxiety in adult patients.

DESIGN

This study was a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

METHODS

PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, Proquest, Scopus, SinoMed, CNKI, and WanFang were systematically searched for English and Chinese RCTs published up to November 18, 2021, for studies on the effectiveness of virtual operating room tours in reducing perioperative anxiety in adult patients (>18 years of age). Primary and secondary outcomes were perioperative anxiety levels and understanding level of perioperative information and patient satisfaction, respectively. The data were synthesized using a qualitative method.

FINDINGS

Five studies were found eligible for inclusion; 3 studies showed a significant decrease in perioperative anxiety levels in patients of the virtual operating room tours group. Furthermore, the overall satisfaction, understanding of perioperative information, and preoperative preparedness were significantly enhanced respectively in 3 studies.

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed the effectiveness of virtual operating room tour on alleviating perioperative anxiety on adult patients. Furthermore, the satisfaction and understanding of perioperative information in intervention group improved owing to these tours. Future quantitative studies are needed to support these findings.

Prevalence of self-reported emotional, physical, and sexual abuse and association with fear of childbirth in pregnant women with epilepsy: The Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study

OBJECTIVE

This study was undertaken to examine the prevalence of self-reported experiences with abuse in pregnant women with epilepsy and the association between having experienced abuse and childbirth expectations, particularly the fear of childbirth.

METHODS

We performed a cross-sectional study of women with and without epilepsy enrolled in the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study 1999-2008. Data on epilepsy diagnosis; antiseizure medication (ASM) use; emotional, physical, and sexual abuse; and childbirth expectations were collected from questionnaires completed during gestational Weeks 17-19 and 30.

RESULTS

Our study population included 295 women with ASM-treated epilepsy, 318 women with ASM-untreated epilepsy, and 93 949 women without epilepsy. A total of 115 women (47%) with ASM-treated and 132 women (57%) with ASM-untreated epilepsy reported any emotional, physical, or sexual abuse, compared to 25 100 women (32%) without epilepsy. The adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for having experienced any abuse were 1.8 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.4-2.3) and 1.8 (95% CI = 1.4-2.2) for ASM-treated and ASM-untreated epilepsy, respectively. A total of 29 women (11%) with ASM-treated and 34 women (11%) with ASM-untreated epilepsy reported having been raped, compared to 3088 women (4%) without epilepsy (aORs = 2.8 [95% CI = 1.8-4.1] and 2.9 [95% CI = 2.0-4.2], respectively). In nulliparous women with ASM-untreated epilepsy, having experienced abuse was associated with fear of childbirth; 22 women (31%) with abuse experiences reported fear of childbirth compared to five women (7%) with no experience of abuse (aOR = 5.4 [95% CI = 1.7-17.2]). This association was not seen in multiparous women or in women with ASM-treated epilepsy.

SIGNIFICANCE

More women with epilepsy reported emotional, physical, and sexual abuse than women without epilepsy. Such experiences may be associated with childbirth expectations.

Depressive symptoms during pregnancy and after birth in women living in Sweden who received treatments for fear of birth

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of depressive symptoms and associated factors in women who underwent treatments for fear of birth; internet-based cognitive therapy, counseling with midwives, continuity with a known midwife or standard care. A secondary analysis was performed using data collected from four samples of women identified with fear of birth and receiving treatment with different methods. A questionnaire was used to collect data in mid-pregnancy and at follow-up 2 months after birth. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depressive Scale. In mid-pregnancy, 32% of the 422 women with fear of birth also reported a co-morbidity with depressive symptoms. At postpartum follow-up, 19% reported depressive symptoms 2 months after birth, and 12% showed continued or recurrent depressive symptoms identified both during pregnancy and postpartum. A history of mental health problems was the strongest risk factor for presenting with depressive symptoms. None of the treatment options in this study was superior in reducing depressive symptoms. This study showed a significant co-morbidity and overlap between fear of birth and depressive symptoms. Screening for depressive symptoms and fear of birth during pregnancy is important to identify women at risk and offer specific treatment.

Associations among fear of childbirth, resilience and psychological distress in pregnant women: A response surface analysis and moderated mediation model

INTRODUCTION

Prenatal psychological distress is prevalent during pregnancy. This study aimed to estimate the associations among fear of childbirth, resilience and psychological distress.

METHODS

A total of 1,060 Chinese pregnant women were enrolled from Be Resilient to Postpartum Depression (ChiCTR2100048465) and the following instruments were administered to them: Childbirth Attitudes Questionnaire, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Perceived Social Support Scale, General Self-Efficacy Scale, Adverse Childhood Experience scale and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. A dominance, a response surface analysis and a moderated mediation analysis were performed.

RESULTS

In terms of psychological distress, resilience and fear of childbirth could explain 41.6% (0.148/0.356) and 33.1% (0.118/0.356), respectively. Pregnant women with high resilience-low fear of childbirth had significantly lower levels of psychological distress than those with low resilience-high fear of childbirth. The indirect effects of fear of childbirth on psychological distress through resilience was significantly (B = 0.054, 95% CI 0.038 to 0.070). The interactions between fear of childbirth and adverse childhood experiences (β = 0.114, 95% CI -0.002 to 0.231, p = 0.054) and between resilience and adverse childhood experiences (β = -0.118, 95% CI -0.222 to -0.012, p < 0.05) were significant.

CONCLUSION

Resilience, fear of childbirth and adverse childhood experiences may be three important factors to psychological distress in Chinese pregnant women.