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. 2022 Jul;44(7):692-700.
doi: 10.1055/s-0042-1751062. Epub 2022 Jun 29.

Is it Necessary to Evaluate Fear of Childbirth in Pregnant Women? A Scoping Review

Cibele Santini Oliveira Imakawa  1 , Mariane Nunes Nadai  2 , Monica Reis  3 , Silvana Maria Quintana  4 , Elaine Christine Dantas Moises  4
Affiliations

Is it Necessary to Evaluate Fear of Childbirth in Pregnant Women? A Scoping Review

Cibele Santini Oliveira Imakawa et al. Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet. 2022 Jul.

Abstract
in English, Portuguese

Objective: To review concepts, definitions, and findings about fear of childbirth (FOC).

Methods: A bibliographic review was carried out through the main scientific databases in 2020.

Results: All 32 articles considered potentially relevant were analyzed. A recent study suggests that the global prevalence of FOC can reach up to 14%. Factors such as parity, gestational age, previous birth experience, age and nationality of the woman seem to influence FOC.

Conclusion: Fear of childbirth could be related to an increased risk of adverse obstetric outcomes such as maternal request for cesarean delivery, preterm birth, prolonged labor, postpartum depression, and post-traumatic stress. These evidence highlight the importance of the discussion regarding this topic.

Objetivo: Revisar conceitos, definições e achados sobre medo do parto (MDP). MéTODOS: Foi realizada uma revisão bibliográfica nas principais bases de dados científicas em 2020.

Resultados: Foram analisados todos os 32 artigos considerados potencialmente relevantes. Um estudo recente sugere que a prevalência global do MDP pode chegar a 14%. Fatores como paridade, idade gestacional, experiência anterior de parto, idade da mulher e nacionalidade parecem influenciar o MDC. CONCLUSãO: O MDC pode estar relacionado ao aumento do risco de desfechos obstétricos adversos, como solicitação materna de cesariana, parto prematuro, trabalho de parto prolongado, depressão pós-parto e estresse pós-traumático. Estas evidências destacam a importância da discussão sobre este tema.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflict of interests to declare.

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Flowchart of the study.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Factors influencing fear of childbirth. Source: Adapted from Wijma et al. (2002), Saisto et al. (2003), Ternström et al. (2016), and Dencker et al. (2019)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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