Pregnant women's thoughts when assessing fear of birth on the Fear of Birth Scale

Background: Fear of childbirth is common during pregnancy but rarely assessed in clinical practice. The Fear of Birth Scale has been proposed as a valid measure suitable for assessing fear of birth in an antenatal clinical context. To make sure that the scale makes sense in relation to the known constructs of fear of birth, it is important to find out what women think when responding to the Fear of Birth Scale. Aim: To report what women in mid-pregnancy think when assessing fear of birth on the Fear of Birth Scale. Methods: A qualitative design using semi-structured interviews with a think aloud technique was used. Thirty-one women were recruited in gestational week 17-20. Content analysis was conducted to describe the different dimensions of fear of birth. Findings: Worry was described as unspecific feelings and thoughts, often with a negative loading. Fear was described as a strong feeling connected to something specific. Furthermore, the women thought about aspects that influence their worries and fears and explained the strategies that helped them to cope with their fear of birth. Conclusion: Women could clearly assess, describe, and discuss fear of birth using the Fear of Birth Scale. This supports the use of the Fear of Birth Scale in clinical settings as a starting point for further dialogue about women's fear of birth. The dialogue may identify women's need for information, treatment, and referral when necessary. (C) 2015 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.