title: Presence and process of fear of birth during pregnancy-Findings from a longitudinal cohort study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of fear of birth has been estimated between 8-30%, but there is considerable heterogeneity in research design, definitions, measurement tools used and populations. There are some inconclusive findings about the stability of childbirth fear.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  to assess the prevalence and characteristics of women presenting with scores ≥60 on FOBS-The Fear of Birth Scale, in mid and late pregnancy, and to study change in fear of birth and associated factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective longitudinal cohort study of a one-year cohort of 1212 pregnant women from a northern part of Sweden, recruited in mid pregnancy and followed up in late pregnancy. Fear of birth was assessed using FOBS-The fear of birth scale, with the cut off at ≥60.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of fear of birth was 22% in mid pregnancy and 19% in late pregnancy, a statistically significant decrease. Different patterns were found where some women presented with increased fear and some with decreased fear. The women who experienced more fear or less fear later in pregnancy could not be differentiated by background factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  More research is needed to explore factors important to reduce fear of childbirth and the optimal time to measure it.
authors.affiliation: Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Nursing, Mid Sweden University, Sundsvall, Sweden. Electronic address: ingegerd.hildingsson@kbh.uu.se.
authors.forename: Ingegerd
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hildingsson
authors.affiliation: Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden; Rural Health Academic Centre, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Haines
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Mid Sweden University, Sundsvall, Sweden.
authors.forename: Annika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karlström
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nystedt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015331:Cohort Studies; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000523:psychology*; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D036801:Parturition / Q000523:psychology*; D018743:Perinatal Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011247:Pregnancy; D037841:Pregnant People / Q000523:psychology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Birth; Change; Counseling; Fear; Pregnancy