Childbirth Preferences and Related Fears: Comparison Between Norway and Israel

Question 1

Fear of childbirth

Answer 1

Tokophobia is a pathological fear of birth

Question 2

Cultural comparison

Answer 2

A comparison of two or more different cultural factors to assess the psychological, sociological, or cultural similarities or diversities in various cultures or societies

Question 3

Childbirth preferences

Answer 3

Outlines your preferences for things during and after childbirth such as pain management and breastfeeding

Question 4

Epidural analgesia

Answer 4

A method of medication administration in which a medicine is injected into the epidural space around the spinal cord

Question 5

W-DEQ

Answer 5

Evaluates fear of childbirth through the expectations of women in relation to childbirth and their experience during the birth

Question 6

Confirmatory factor analysis

Answer 6

Used to test whether measures of a construct are consistent with a researcher’s understanding of the nature of that construct.

Question 7

Results for Norwegian women

Answer 7

They were more concerned about loneliness, feeling less self-efficacy, negatively appraising birth, and lacking positive anticipation. More concerned with the physical and emotional expectations of birth.

Preferred more cesarean sections. FOC factors were more strongly related to childbirth preferences among Norwegians.

Question 8

Results for Israeli women

Answer 8

They are more concerned about negative ourcomes for the child and experienced greater general fear and fear of pain. Birth culture here is very medicalized, motherhood is highly revered, and there is an emphasis on having “perfect babies”. More concerned that their children might be harmed during birth

Preferred more epidural use

Question 9

Conclusion

Answer 9

Dimensions of fear of childbirth were similar in Norway and Israel, yet levels of FOC, birth preferences, and the correlations between the two differed between these cultures