Cluster Analysis of Fear of Childbirth, Anxiety, Depression, and Childbirth Self-Efficacy

Abstract

Objective: To identify clusters of women based on anxiety, depression, fear of birth, and childbirth self-efficacy and factors associated with the clusters.

Design: Cross-sectional survey.

Setting: Online in Sweden.

Participants: Pregnant women (N = 1,419).

Methods: We collected data through online questionnaires. We included scales to measure anxiety, depression, worries about and fear of birth, and self-efficacy in a kappa-means cluster analysis. We calculated odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals between clusters and background variables.

Results: We identified 4 clusters based on severity: Resourceful-Robust, Resourceful-Fearful, Vulnerable-Fearful, and Fragile-Fearful. Participants in the Resourceful-Fearful and Vulnerable-Fearful clusters were more likely to report mental health problems than those in the Resourceful-Robust cluster. Participants in the Vulnerable-Fearful and Fragile-Fearful clusters were more likely to report mental health problems than those in the Resourceful-Robust cluster. Participants in the Fragile-Fearful cluster were more likely to be multiparous, report that their pregnancy was not normal, and prefer cesarean birth than those in the Resourceful-Robust cluster.

Conclusions: Women with childbirth fear may be vulnerable to anxiety and depression during the perinatal period, although the severity might vary. Self-efficacy might be a mediator against mental health problems. Findings demonstrated levels of severity, and the one-size-fits-all approach in Swedish health care may benefit from a more targeted approach for women with fear of childbirth.

Keywords: anxiety; childbirth fear; cluster analysis; depression; self-efficacy; women.