Fear of Childbirth Study

Fear of childbirth affects as many as 25% of women and may be so intense as to lead to avoidance of pregnancy, even among women who wish to reproduce. Fear of childbirth has been associated with a number of negative outcomes, including pregnancy termination, increased pain perception during childbirth, prolonged labour, increased risk of emergency and elective caesarean delivery, and postnatal depression and posttraumatic stress disorder.