title: Fear of childbirth and emergency caesarean section in low-risk nulliparous women: a prospective cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the association between fear of childbirth (FOC) and emergency caesarean section.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective cohort study of low-risk nulliparous women at term.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nine obstetric departments in Denmark, May 2004-July 2005.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 2598 nulliparous women in spontaneous labor with a single fetus in cephalic presentation at term.
  
  
  METHODS
  Self-reported FOC was assessed at 37 weeks of gestation by the Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire (W-DEQ) version A and at admission to the labor ward by the Delivery Fear Scale (DFS). Mode of delivery was recorded by the attending staff. Logistic regression analyses were used to estimate unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios (OR).
  
  
  METHODS
  Risk of emergency caesarean section in women who feared childbirth.
  
  
  RESULTS
  FOC (W-DEQ sum score ≥ 85 and DFS sum score ≥ 70) was not associated with emergency caesarean section: adjusted OR = 0.81 (95% CI: 0.48-1.36) and OR = 0.97 (95% CI: 0.55-1.71), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this prospective observational study, women with FOC did not have an increased risk of emergency caesarean section compared to women with no such fear.
authors.affiliation: Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, The Research Unit Women's and Children's Health, The Juliane Marie Centre for Women, Children and Reproduction , Copenhagen Ø , Denmark and.
authors.forename: Cecilie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jespersen
authors.forename: Hanne Kristine
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Hegaard
authors.forename: Anne-Mette
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Schroll
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rosthøj
authors.forename: Hanne
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kjærgaard
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007746:Labor Presentation; D010298:Parity; D036801:Parturition / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D047929:Term Birth / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Childbirth; fear of childbirth; obstetrics; pregnancy