title: Pregnant women's expectations about pain intensity during childbirth and their attitudes towards pain management: Findings from an Icelandic national study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pregnant women expect childbirth to be painful. However, little is known about their expectations of the intensity of pain in childbirth (EIPC) and their attitudes to pain management.
  
  
  METHODS
  The design was a cross-sectional survey, with self-reported questionnaires used to collect data from low-risk pregnant women (N = 1111) early in pregnancy at 26 of the largest primary health care centres in Iceland. This consecutive national sample was stratified by residency.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean score for the EIPC was 5.58 (SD = 1.38) measured on a 7 point scale. The strongest predictors of a high EIPC score were: negative attitude to the impending childbirth (OR = 2.39), low manifestation of a sense of security (OR = 1.80), and a positive attitude to pain management with medication (OR = 1.63). Women living outside the capital area were less likely to have a high EIPC (OR = 0.68). Most women (77%) had a positive attitude towards pain management without medication and 35% had a positive attitude to pain management with medication.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study detected multiple predictors of women's EIPC and attitude to pain management. Early and throughout pregnancy, midwives and health care professionals need to address these predictors in order to assist women to prepare themselves for the pain of labour.
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, University of Akureyri, Solborg, P.O. Box 224, 602 Akureyri, Iceland. Electronic address: inga@unak.is.
authors.forename: Sigfridur Inga
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Karlsdottir
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Nursing, University of Iceland, Eiriksgata 34, Reykjavik 101, Iceland.
authors.forename: Herdis
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sveinsdottir
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Nursing, University of Iceland, Eiriksgata 34, Reykjavik 101, Iceland.
authors.forename: Olof Asta
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Olafsdottir
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Nursing, University of Iceland, Eiriksgata 34, Reykjavik 101, Iceland.
authors.forename: Hildur
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kristjansdottir
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007055:Iceland; D048949:Labor Pain; D007743:Labor, Obstetric; D016017:Odds Ratio; D059408:Pain Management; D036801:Parturition; D011247:Pregnancy; D037841:Pregnant People; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics
keywords: Attitude; Pain; Pain Management; Pregnancy