Fear of childbirth and its determinants in pregnant women in the third trimester: a cross-sectional study

Background Fear of childbirth (FOC) is a prevalent issue among pregnant women and significantly relates to adverse outcomes for the mother and child. However, it is not clear the prevalence and risk factors of FOC among pregnant women in a region with a moderate level of economic development in China. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of FOC among pregnant women in the third trimester of pregnancy in Lianyungang city, Eastern China. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted from December 2022 to February 2023 among pregnant women in the third trimester who met the inclusion criteria and visited Lianyungang Maternal and Child Health Hospital in Jiangsu Province, Eastern China. A structured questionnaire including sociodemographic characteristics, clinical characteristics, FOC, family function, doctor-patient communication, social support, general self-efficacy, anxiety, depression, insomnia symptoms, and quality of life was used to collect data. A multiple linear regression model was used to identify predictors of FOC. Results This study included 535 pregnant women in the third trimester. The mean score of FOC was 30.67 ± 10.18, and the median score was 29.00. The prevalence of FOC was 56.64%. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that pregnant women with electronic screen exposure time more than 5 h per day ( β = 2.02, 95% CI : 0.50–3.53, P < 0.05), no history of cesarean section ( β = 2.66, 95% CI : 0.61–4.71, P < 0.05), likes sour food or hates greasy food ( β = 1.75, 95% CI : 0.00-3.50, P < 0.05), anxiety ( β = 0.50, 95% CI : 0.21–0.80, P < 0.05) and depression ( β = 0.30, 95% CI : 0.04–0.57, P < 0.05) were more likely to have a greater level of FOC than their counterparts. However, a significantly lower level of FOC was observed in pregnant women who were multipara ( β =-1.64, 95% CI : -3.27–0.01, P < 0.05), not worrying about delivery without family members ( β =-3.75, 95% CI : -5.26–2.25, P < 0.001), had good family function ( β =-0.32, 95% CI : -0.64–0.00, P < 0.05) and doctor-patient communication ( β =-0.33, 95% CI : -0.64–0.02, P < 0.05). Conclusions The prevalence of FOC was high in Lianyungang city, Eastern China. FOC is influenced by multiple factors. There is an urgent need to develop interventions to reduce the prevalence of FOC in the third trimester of pregnancy, and to pay attention to pregnant women with risk factors for FOC.