Prevalence of fear of childbirth in a sample of gravida women in Kenya

Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of fear of childbirth (FOC) using a sample of gravida women in Kenya, a developing country where it is not fully acknowledged.

Materials and methods: This were a cross-sectional study on gravida women visiting health facilities to receive routine antenatal care. The study applied multistage sampling to enrol eligible expectant women. A researcher-developed questionnaire was used alongside Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire (version A) to collect respondents’ demographic characteristics and to measure their fear of childbirth levels, respectively.

Results: Approximately 29.5% had low, 40.4% moderate, 22.1% high, and 8% recorded severe FOC levels. Comparing by parity, the prevalence of severe FOC was higher on primigravida at 13.8% than multigravida, 8.0%. The results revealed a significant relationship between marital status (p = 0.045), parity (p = 0.000), literacy status (p = 0.000), regular check-up of pregnancy at health facilities (p = 0.003), having trust in healthcare providers (p = 0.000), and physical activity for gravida women with fear of childbirth (p = 0.000).

Conclusion: From the findings, special attention on the identified predictors of fear of childbirth during prenatal sessions would help in managing fear of childbirth before they give birth.