Specific childbirth fears before and after a prenatal childbirth preparation intervention

Abstract

Introduction: Fear of childbirth (FOC) is a common concern during pregnancy that can negatively affect women’s well-being and childbirth experiences. Understanding how different dimensions of FOC relate to one another before and after prenatal interventions may help optimize supportive care. The aim of this study was to examine correlations among specific domains of childbirth fear before and after participation in a prenatal childbirth preparation program.

Methods: This prospective longitudinal study included 97 pregnant women with uncomplicated pregnancies who participated in a one-month prenatal childbirth preparation program between November 2024 and February 2025. The intervention consisted of theoretical education and physical exercise sessions, held twice a week. FOC was assessed before and 7 days after the intervention using the Childbirth Fear Questionnaire (CFQ). Spearman correlation coefficients were used to examine relationships among CFQ subscales.

Results: Participants had a mean age of 30.5 ± 3.8 years and a mean gestational age of 32.5 ± 3.0 weeks at the time of study entry. Before the intervention, the total CFQ score was most strongly correlated with fear of medical interventions (p = 0.823). After the intervention, the strongest association shifted to fear of pain during vaginal birth (p = 0.859).

Conclusion: Following participation in the prenatal childbirth preparation program, the pattern of associations among childbirth fears changed, with fear of medical interventions becoming less dominant and fear of pain during vaginal delivery emerging as a central concern. These findings suggest that prenatal interventions may influence not only the intensity but also the structure of childbirth-related fears, highlighting the importance of addressing multiple fear dimensions simultaneously.