Table 2 Comparison of item content within each scale with the 10 key elements of FOC as identified by Slade et al. [13]

1. Fear of not knowing and not being able to plan for the unpredictable

Totally as it should be

Getting to the hospital in time

Having a long labour

Not knowing how long labour will take

Not knowing when I would go into labour

Labour will be complicated

2. Fear of harm or stress to the baby

Fantasies child will die

Fantasies child will be injured

I am worried about the health of my baby

3. Fear of inability to cope with pain

Pain

Getting effective pain relief

Pain and discomfort of labour

4. Fear of harm to self in labour and post-natally

Safe

Dangerous

5. Fear of being ‘done to’

Needing a caesarean

Having ventouse or forceps delivery

Having to be induced

Labour will be complicated

I worry I will need emergency surgery

6. Fear of not having a voice in decision making

7. Fear of being abandoned/alone

Lonely

Deserted

Abandoned

Trust

8. Body’s ability to give birth

I will allow my body to take control

Natural

My body will fail me during labour

I will not be able to birth naturally

9. Losing control

Composed

Panic

I will behave badly

I will totally lose control of myself

Embarrassment

10. Generic fear of unknown

Labour is unknown

Fear-no fear