title: Counseling for childbirth fear - a national survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Counseling by experienced midwives is offered to women with childbirth fear in most obstetric clinics in Sweden, but information about the content of such counseling is lacking.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study comprehensiveness, content and organization of the midwife-led counseling for childbirth fear in all obstetric clinics in Sweden.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study, data were collected using a questionnaire sent to all obstetric clinics in Sweden (n = 45); a total of 43 clinics responded. Descriptive and one-way ANOVA was used in the analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All responding obstetric clinics in Sweden offer midwife-led counseling to women with childbirth fear. Major differences were found regarding the time allocated to counseling, with a range between 5.7 and 47.6 minutes per childbirth. Supplementary education for midwives and the availability of treatment options varied at the different clinics and were not associated with the size of the clinic.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The midwife-led counseling conducted at the different Swedish obstetric clinics showed considerable disparities. Women with childbirth fear would benefit from care on equal terms irrespective of place of residence. Consequently, it would be valuable to develop a national healthcare program for childbirth fear.
authors.affiliation: Department of Women's and Children's Health, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Uppsala University, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden; Research and Development Centre, Sundsvall Hospital, 846 53 Sundsvall, Sweden. Electronic address: birgitta.larsson@kbh.uu.se.
authors.forename: Birgitta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Larsson
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing Sciences, Mid-Sweden University, 851 70 Sundsvall, Sweden.
authors.forename: Annika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karlström
authors.affiliation: Department of Women's and Children's Health, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Uppsala University, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rubertsson
authors.affiliation: Department of Women's and Children's Health, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Uppsala University, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Nursing Sciences, Mid-Sweden University, 851 70 Sundsvall, Sweden.
authors.forename: Ingegerd
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hildingsson
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003376:Counseling / Q000592:standards*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000523:psychology*; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008430:Maternal-Child Health Centers; D008880:Midwifery; D009721:Nurse Midwives; D036801:Parturition; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden
keywords: Cesarean section; Childbirth fear; Counseling; National survey; Treatment