Links between patient safety and fear of childbirth-A meta-study of qualitative research.
Anne Lyberg, Bente Dahl, Megumi Haruna and 2 others
PMID 30534391WHAT IT FOUND
Women's fear of childbirth was linked to not feeling safe, in control, or supported in maternity care.
Requests for caesarean birth often sought safety and predictability. New mothers feared transition when continuity, information, and postnatal follow-up were lacking.
Key findings
01Women viewed caesarean birth as safer, calmer, and more predictable than vaginal birth.
02Women reported that continuity, clear information about labour, and involvement in decisions supported their sense of safety, while information lost during handover reduced it.
03Fear of transition to motherhood was linked to low confidence caring for the baby, inadequate postnatal support, and not knowing who to contact.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The synthesis used only nine qualitative articles, so it captures a limited set of women's accounts rather than all maternity settings. The included studies were from five countries, and the authors noted that patient safety and fear of childbirth may be understood differently in non-Western cultures. The search covered June 2000 to June 2016 and used specific terms, so relevant studies published earlier, later, or described differently may have been missed. Because this is a qualitative synthesis, it describes what women experienced and said, not whether any care change reduces fear, improves safety, or changes birth mode.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The supplied text does not state a funding source.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that continuity, information, or woman-centred support have been shown to reduce fear of childbirth or caesarean birth. This paper synthesizes qualitative accounts of women's experiences; it does not test interventions or measure outcomes.