Table 2 Measurement tools used, prevalence, and parity in Fear of Childbirth studies

W-DEQ

Rouhe 2015 [65]

W-DEQ, with score ≥ 100

Very severe FOC

Early pregnancy

8.1 (7.3–8.9)

371/4575

Heimstad 2006 [78]

W-DEQ score > 100

W-DEQ > 95

‘Serious FOC; of clinical importance’

Mid pregnancy

5.5 (4.3–6.8)

7.3 (5.9–8.8)

72/1321

96/1321

Nieminen 2009 [79]

W-DEQ score ≥ 100

W-DEQ score ≥ 85

Very intense FOC

Intense FOC

Pregnancy (various times)

5.7 (4.6–6.9)

15.6 (13.8–17.4)

93/1635

254/1635

Adams

2012 [80]

W-DEQ score ≥ 85

‘High fear’

At 32 weeks

7.5 (6.4–8.7)

165/2206

Jespersen 2014 [81]

W-DEQ score ≥ 85

Severe FOC

At 37 weeks

9.0 (7.8–10.2)

207/2310

Jokić-Begić 2014 [82]

W-DEQ score ≥ 85

FOC

Late pregnancy

11.5 (7.4–16.8)

23/200

Lukasse 2014 [62]

W-DEQ score ≥ 85

Severe FOC

In pregnancy (various times)

11.2 (total population in six countries) ^b(10.5–12.0)

Belgium: 6.3 (4.7–8.2)

Iceland: 8.4 (6.3–10.9)

Denmark: 9.2 (7.6–10.9)

Norway: 11.8 (10.5–13.2)

Sweden: 14.8 (12.6–17.2)

Estonia: 14.8 (12.6–17.3)

Total: 769/6870

B: 52/828

I: 49/585

D: 115/1252

N: 278/2351

S: 142/958

E: 133/896

Söderqvist 2004 [83]

W-DEQ score ≥ 85

Severe FOC

Late pregnancy

13.5 (11.4–15.8)

127/942

Zar 2002 [84]

W-DEQ score ≥ 85

Severe FOC

Late pregnancy

11.1 (8.5–14.1)

56/506

Fenwick 2009 [77]

W-DEQ score ≥ 71

‘High level of fear’

Late pregnancy

6 weeks postpartum

26.2 (21.9–30.8)

22.4 (17.3–28.1)

105/401

55/246

Hall 2009 [85]

W-DEQ score ≥ 66

‘High fear’

Late pregnancy

24.9 (21.6–28.4)

162/650

Fear of Birth scale (FOBS)

Haines 2011 [67]

Fear of Birth Scale (FOBS) score > 50.

Elevated level of FOC

Mid-pregnancy

Sweden: 31.1 (26.5–36.0)

Australia: 29.5 (21.6–38.4)

119/383

36/122

Ternström 2014 [72]

Fear of Birth Scale (FOBS) score > =60.

Childbirth related fear (CBRF)

Mid-pregnancy

22.1 (18.9–25.6)

134/606

Various scales to measure FOC

Elvander 2013 [63]

First Baby Study Birth Anticipation Scale score 21–30

High fear

Late pregnancy

20.3 (18.9–21.8)

611/3005

Lowe 2000 [74]

Childbirth Attitudes Questionnaire,

1 Standard Deviation above mean

High fear

Late pregnancy

19.3 (14.8–24.4)

54/280

Poikkeus 2006 [75]

Revised Fear-of-Childbirth questionnaire, total score ≥ 6

Severe fear

Mid pregnancy

11.0 (8.8–13.5)

82/746

Single item question – 3 point Likert response scale

Geissbuehler 2002 [69]

‘Are you anxious or afraid about the birth?’, answer by ‘Yes, very afraid’

FOC

Late pregnancy

5.3 (4.8–5.8)

450/8528

Laursen 2008 [64]

‘Are you anxious about the course of the upcoming delivery?’ answered with ‘A lot‘

FOC

Early pregnancy

Late pregnancy

7.6 (7.3–7.9)

7.4 (7.1–7.7)

2308/30,480

2245/30,480

Single item question – 4 point Likert response scale

Hildingsson 2010 [60]

’How do you feel when thinking about labour and birth?’ answered with: ‘A lot/very much’

Childbirth related fear

Mid pregnancy

14.0 (12.1–16.1)

170/1212

Nilsson 2012 [61]

’To what extent do you experience worries and fear?’ answered with: ‘A great deal/very much’ ^c

FOC

1 year after childbirth

15.1 (12.6–17.9)

115/761

Single item question – 5/6 point Likert response scale

Eriksson 2005 [71]

A statement ‘Childbirth-related fear influences my daily life in a negative sense’ with a 6-point Likert scale

Intense fear

Assessed retrospectively

22.9 (18.9–27.3)

94/410

Waldenström 2006 [70]

A question: ‘How do you feel when thinking about labour and birth?‘answered by ‘Very negative‘

Childbirth related fear

Early pregnancy

3.6 (3.0–4.4)

97/2662

Miscellaneous

Fabian 2004 [73]

Yes to a question on whether they had attended/needed to attend a clinic for counseling because of FOC

FOC

Early pregnancy

15.4 (14.0–16.9)

385/2503

Räisänen 2014 [66]

Register study. FOC defined according to ICD – code 099.80

FOC

Pregnancy

3.7 (3.6–3.7)

28,960/ 788,317