Assessment of the fear of Delivery among Women at Labor

Abstract

Objective: To assess the fear of laboring women regarding the delivery on themselves and their
newborns.
Methodology : A descriptive study was conducted on (100) pregnant women who where admitted to
labor room in Al- Yarmock Teaching Hospital/Maternity Units, Fatima Al- Zahra and Ibn-Al Baladi
Maternity and Pediatric Hospital. The questionnaire was consisted of pregnant women
socio-demographic data, reproductive data and fear items of labor. Data were collected by using a
questionnaire format, through interview technique and reviewing pregnant records, descriptive and
inferential statistical procedure were used to analyze the data.
Results: The main results of the study revealed a high mean of scores with moderate (RS) in women's
fear regarding labor on her self ( labor difficulties ,dying during labor, labor pain related to uterine
contractions, prolonged labor, fear of being left alone, fear of episiotomy, and exposure to infection )
And on their newborn in (delivery of unhealthy or abnormal newborn ,newborn death during or after
delivery, head dystocia, fetal asphyxia, and exposure to cold and infection ). The findings also
presented significant differences between women's fear regarding labor on themselves and socio
demographic and reproductive variables in (age, education, residency, socioeconomic status, history of
abortion, pregnancy &delivery complications ), and on their newborn in (age, education, type of family
.gravidity, parity, history of abortion, &pregnancy complications).
Recommendation: Educational program can be designed to orient the pregnant women toward
physiological and psychological changes during pregnancy, labor & delivery process and Initiation of
prenatal education classes in primary health care centers.