Previous Birth Experience in Women With Intense Fear of Childbirth

doi:10.1111/j.1552-6909.2010.01139.x

Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing

Volume 39, Issue 3, May–June 2010, Pages 298-309

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1552-6909.2010.01139.x Get rights and content

ABSTRACT

Objective

To describe the meaning of previous experiences of childbirth in pregnant women who have exhibited intense fear of childbirth such that it has an impact on their daily lives.

Design

A descriptive phenomenological study.

Setting

A maternity clinic for women with fear of childbirth in the western part of Sweden.

Participants

Nine women with intense fear of childbirth who were pregnant with their second child and considered their previous birth experiences negative.

Methods

Interviews that were transcribed verbatim and analyzed with a reflective life-world approach.

Results

The essential meanings that emerged were a sense of not being present in the delivery room and an incomplete childbirth experience. The women felt as if they had no place there, that they were unable to take their place, and that even if the midwife was present, she did not provide support. The experience remained etched in the women's minds and gave rise to feelings of fear, loneliness, and lack of faith in their ability to give birth and diminished trust in maternity care. These experiences contrasted with brief moments that made sense.

Conclusions

Previous childbirth experiences for pregnant women with intense fear of childbirth have a deep influence and can be related to suffering and birth trauma. The implication is to provide maternity care where the nurse/midwife is present and supports women during birth in a way that enables them to be present and take their place during birth.

Section snippets

Method

A reflective life-world research based on Husserl and Merleau-Ponty's phenomenological philosophy was chosen (Dahlberg, Dahlberg, & Nyström, 2008). Such an approach is well suited for investigating women's experiences of a complex phenomenon such as childbirth in women with intense fear of childbirth. The aim of reflective life-world research is to explore, illuminate, and describe the meaning of events in the life world, that is, phenomena, in their original sense without diminishing the

Participants

Nine multiparous women participated, all pregnant with their second child (18-39 gestational weeks) who considered their previous birth experiences as negative. They had not experienced such fear before the birth of their first child. All had graduated from at least upper secondary school and were employed. Eight were still working, and the ninth was on maternity leave. For the subsequent childbirth, all except one wanted a vaginal birth. None of the infants had been seriously ill at birth,

Discussion

The results demonstrate that in women with intense fear of childbirth, previous childbirth involved experiences of not being present and an incomplete birth. A limitation of this study is that we selected women with intense fear of childbirth with previous negative birth experiences as participants without having a clear definition of negative birth experiences. The rationale for this decision was to explore and to deepen the understanding of fear of childbirth, hence this study is part of a

Conclusions

The results of our study demonstrate that in women with intense fear of childbirth previous childbirth involves experiences of not being present in the delivery room and that the birth was incomplete. The women had difficulty finding a place in which to give birth and considered that the position they were assigned during the birth was unclear. They also found it difficult to take their place and give birth on their own terms and felt that the midwife was not present and failed to provide the

Clinical Implications

The implication is to provide maternity care where the nurse/midwife is present and supports women during birth in a way that enables them to be present and take their place.

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Do not leave a woman in active labor alone. Give individual support, create a safe place and make space for unique needs, encourage her to be active and to take place during labor.
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If the woman does not communicate during labor or if there are doubts about her well-being, do not hesitate to intervene by asking her how she is

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the University of Borås and the Council of Research and Development in Gothenburg and Södra Bohuslän, Sweden.

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ResearchPrevious Birth Experience in Women With Intense Fear of Childbirth

ABSTRACT

Objective

Design

Setting

Participants

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Section snippets

Method

Participants

Discussion

Conclusions

Clinical Implications

Acknowledgments

Lancet

Women and Birth

International Journal of Nursing Studies

Midwifery

Journal of Obstetrical, Gynecological & Neonatal Nursing

Journal of Midwifery and Women's Health

Journal of Obstetrical, Gynecological & Neonatal Nursing

Midwifery

Clinical Psychology Review

Australian Journal of Midwifery

British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology

Obstetrics and Gynecology

Obstetrics and Gynecology

Journal of Obstetrical, Gynecological & Neonatal Nursing

Midwifery

Journal of Anxiety Disorders

A qualitative analysis of the process, mediating variables, and impact of traumatic childbirth

Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology

Fear of childbirth in late pregnancy

Gynecologic and Obstetric Investigation

Thoughts and emotions during traumatic birth

Birth

The effects of childbirth-related post-traumatic stress disorder on women and their relationships; a qualitative study

Psychology, Health and Medicine

Outcome of subsequent pregnancy three years after previous operative delivery in second stage of labour

British Medical Journal

Birth trauma. In the eye of the beholder

Nursing Research

Post-traumatic stress disorder due to childbirth. The aftermath

Nursing Research

The anniversary of birth trauma. Failure to rescue

Nursing Research

Pentadic cartography

Qualitative Health Research

Impact of birth trauma on breast-feeding. A tale of two pathways

Nursing Research

To be with child

Childbirth and the development of acute trauma symptoms

Birth

Prevalence and predictors of post-traumatic stress symptoms following childbirth

British Journal of Clinical Psychology

Reflective lifeworld research

Uncaring midwives

Nursing Ethics

Pre- and postpartum levels of childbirth fear and the relationship to birth outcomes in a cohort of Australian women

Journal of Clinical Nursing

Övervakning och straff [Surveillance and punishment]

Fear of childbirth during pregnancy

Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynaecology

Empowerment or discouragement

Health Care for Women International

Ways of relating during childbirth

Nursing Ethics

Research
Previous Birth Experience in Women With Intense Fear of Childbirth