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Table 1 Characteristics of participants

From: Childbirth fear and related factors among pregnant and postpartum women in Malawi

Variable

Pregnant women (N = 152)

Postpartum women (N = 153)

χ2

p

n

(%)

n

(%)

  

Age (years)++, Mean (SD)

26.3

(6.6)

26.1

(6.3)

  

  < 25

73

(48.0)

75

(49.0)

0.01

0.91

  ≥ 25

65

(42.8)

65

(42.5)

  

Education level++

 Illiterate

24

(15.8)

29

(19.0)

0.66

0.72

 Primary school

99

(65.1)

94

(61.4)

  

 Secondary and higher

28

(18.4)

30

(19.6)

  

Employment status++

 Unemployed

23

(15.1)

13

(8.5)

3.30

0.07

 Employed

128

(84.2)

140

(91.5)

  

Income per month

  < MK20,000

115

(75.7)

125

(81.7)

1.66

0.20

 MK20,000~ 50,000

37

(24.3)

28

(18.3)

  

Parity

 Nulliparous

30

(19.7)

43

(28.1)

2.93

0.09

 Multiparous

122

(80.3)

110

(71.9)

  

Preferred MODa/Actual MODb++

 Caesarean delivery

3

(2.0)

10

(6.5)

3.70

0.05

 Normal vaginal birth

145

(95.4)

143

(93.5)

  

Perineal tears++

 Yes

~

~

20

(13.1)

~

~

 No

  

127

(83.0)

  

Past pregnancy complications++

 Yes

33

(21.7)

44

(28.8)

2.10

0.15

 No

119

(78.2)

108

(70.6)

  

Social support, Mean (SD)

5.7

(0.9)

5.4

(0.9)

  

 Low/Moderate

35

(23.0)

47

(30.7)

2.30

0.13

 High

117

(77.0)

106

(69.3)

  
  1. SD, Standard deviation; a Preferred Mode of Birth for pregnant women; b Actual Mode of Birth for postpartum women; MK Malawi Kwacha currency (US$1 ≈ Malawi Kwacha (MK)725); ++Total amounts do not either add up to n = 152 (100%) for pregnant women or n = 153 (100%) for postpartum women