Identifying women who are afraid of giving birth: A comparison of the fear of birth scale with the WDEQ-A in a large Australian cohort
Categorie(s):
Healt
Author(s):
H.M. Haines, J.F. Pallant, J. Fenwick, J. Gamble, D.K. Creedy, J. Toohill, I. Hildingsson
Keyword(s):
Kesehatan, kebidanan, Jurnal Internasional, jurnal, Fear of birth, FOBS, WDEQ, Pregnancy, Antenatal care, Screening
DOI:
Abstract :
ABSTRACT
Background: The WDEQ-A is the most widely used measure of childbirth fear in pregnant women; however
there is increasing discussion in the literature that simpler, more culturally transferrable tools may offer
a better solution to identifying fearful women in clinical practice.
Aim: To compare the two item Fear of Birth Scale (FOBS) with the 33 item WDEQ-A in a large cohort of
Australian pregnant women.
Method: Self-report questionnaires during second trimester including Wijma Delivery Expectancy Questionnaire
(WDEQ-A) and Fear of Birth Scale (FOBS). Correlation of FOBS and WDEQ-A was tested using
Spearman’s correlation coefficients. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve assessed the sensitivity
and specificity of possible cut-points on the FOBS against WDEQ-A cut-point of ?85. Sensitivity, specificity,
positive and negative predictive values were determined. Fearful and non-fearful women as classified
by both instruments were compared for differences in demographic, psycho-social and obstetric
characteristics.
Results: 1410 women participated. The correlation between the instruments was strong (Spearman’s
Rho = 0.66, p < 0.001). The area under the ROC was 0.89 indicating high sensitivity with a FOBS cutpoint
of 54. Sensitivity was 89%, specificity 79% and Youden index 0.68. Positive predictive value was
85% and negative predictive value 79%. Both instruments identified high fear as significantly associated
with first time mothers, previous emergency caesarean and women with self-reported anxiety and/or
depression. Additionally FOBS identified a significant association between fearful women and preference
for caesarean.
Conclusion: This study supports the use of the FOBS in clinical practice to identify childbirth fear in pregnant
women.