PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Scared of giving birth? You’re not alone, but stay positive to ease the fear

2025-08-07
(Press-News.org) Up to 60% of women experience some fear about giving birth, especially for the first time, but a new study shows why some women are more likely to stay calm and confident in the lead-up to childbirth.

In a global first, researchers from Robert Gordon University in Scotland and the University of South Australia (UniSA) investigated the factors that help ease childbirth fears, rather than stoke them.

They surveyed 88 pregnant women in their third trimester before attending antenatal classes in north-east Scotland.

Researchers used the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale to measure the link between mental wellbeing, a woman’s belief in her ability to manage the challenges of labour, and fear of childbirth.

While 12% exhibited ‘severe’ fear of childbirth (FOC), those who were more positive, confident and in meaningful relationships reported fewer concerns.

The findings are published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynaecology.

Lead author Dr Katrina Forbes-McKay says the results provide valuable insights into how antenatal care could be improved to foster confidence, enhance positive emotions and ultimately support healthier births for mothers and babies.

“While many studies have explored the negative effects of childbirth fear, including prolonged labour, emergency caesareans and postpartum mental health issues, there has been little research into what protects women from experiencing those fears,” Dr Forbes-McKay says.

“Our findings highlight the need for antenatal care that doesn’t just teach women what to do during labour but also empowers them to believe they can do it.”

Co-author UniSA Professor Tracy Humphrey says the study found that a woman’s sense of mental wellbeing was the strongest predictor of how fearful she felt about giving birth.

“This includes having a sense of purpose, emotional positivity, and meaningful social relationships – all things that are often overlooked in maternity care,” Prof Humphrey says.

“The second key predictor was childbirth self-efficacy – particularly whether women believed they could apply coping strategies when the time came.”

The study calls for antenatal programs to shift from a solely medical model to one that builds self-belief. Specifically, it recommends that childbirth education:

Fosters confidence in the use of labour techniques such as breathing, visualisation and relaxation Enhances psychological wellbeing by supporting social connection, purpose and satisfaction Embraces an approach that focuses on wellness rather than the risks Although this study was restricted to women in the third trimester, further research has been undertaken on the role of antenatal relaxation practices in improving maternal well-being and childbirth experiences.

Robert Gordon University midwifery lecturer Dr Mo Tabib led the study as part of her PhD, under the supervision of Dr Forbes-McKay and Professor Humphrey.

“Women who incorporated these relaxation techniques reported “significant improvements” in their mental wellbeing and confidence in approaching childbirth; improvements which remained stable until 4-8 weeks after birth,” Dr Tabib says.

“The findings align with global priorities from the World Health Organization to promote the mental and physical health of women during pregnancy.

“By addressing fear of childbirth through psychological and educational interventions, we not only support women to have more positive birth experiences but potentially reduce medical interventions and improve outcomes for mothers and infants,” she says.

The researchers are now calling for larger, multi-site studies to validate these findings across diverse populations.

‘Predicting fear of childbirth during pregnancy, the positive role of self-efficacy and mental wellbeing: a cross-sectional study’ is co-authored by Katrina Forbes McKay, Mo Tabib and Tracy Humphrey. DOI 10.1080/0167482X.2025.2527658

 

END


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

New study links 2023 Maui wildfire to spike in suicide, overdose

2025-08-07
Link to video and sound (details below): https://spaces.hightail.com/receive/YDQA0P5cJ7 New study links 2023 Maui wildfire to spike in suicide, overdose Deaths by suicide and drug overdose significantly increased in the aftermath of the August 2023 Maui wildfire, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). The study, led by Alex Ortega, dean of the Thompson School of Social Work and Public Health, and Keawe‘aimoku Kaholokula, chair of the Department of ...

Elevated cdc42 activity is a key initiation event leading to proteinuria.

2025-08-07
Niigata, Japan – A group led by the Department of Cell Biology at the Kidney Research Center, Niigata University revealed that elevated activity of cdc42 is a critical initiation event leading to proteinuria, and proposed that suppression of cdc42 activity could be a promising therapy for nephrotic syndrome. Glomerulus is a filtration unit of the kidney, and the glomerular capillary wall functions as a barrier, preventing the leak of plasma protein into urine. Proteinuria is a clinical symptom showing dysfunction of the barrier of glomerular capillary wall, and is an aggravating factor leading to kidney failure. Besides, ...

Walking further and faster is linked to a reduced risk of heart attacks, heart failure and stroke in people with high blood pressure

2025-08-07
Sophia Antipolis, France: Analysis of over 36,000 people with high blood pressure has shown that taking more steps, even below the recommended daily target of 10,000 steps, and walking faster, is associated with a significant reduction in the risk of major problems of the heart and blood vessels.  The study, published today (Thursday) in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, found that compared to a daily step count of 2,300 steps, every extra 1,000 steps was linked to a 17% reduction in the risk of developing a major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE), up to 10,000 steps. Additional ...

Nanoparticles that self-assemble at room temperature could transform vaccine delivery

2025-08-06
In a discovery that could broaden access to next-generation biologic medicines and vaccines, researchers at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (UChicago PME) have engineered polymer-based nanoparticles that form with a simple temperature shift—no harsh chemicals, no specialized equipment, and no processing needed.  The new nanoparticles, described in Nature Biomedical Engineering, self-assemble at room-temperature in water and, because of these gentle conditions, can deliver proteins, which are unstable in many existing nanoparticle ...

With just a few messages, biased AI chatbots swayed people’s political views

2025-08-06
If you’ve interacted with an artificial intelligence chatbot, you’ve likely realized that all AI models are biased. They were trained on enormous corpuses of unruly data and refined through human instructions and testing. Bias can seep in anywhere. Yet how a system’s biases can affect users is less clear. So a University of Washington study put it to the test. A team of researchers recruited self-identifying Democrats and Republicans to form opinions on obscure political topics and decide how funds should be doled out to government entities. For help, they were ...

Potatoes may increase risk of type 2 diabetes—depending on their preparation

2025-08-06
Embargoed for release: Wednesday, August 6, 6:30 PM ET Key points: In a study that tracked the diets of more than 205,000 adults over decades, three servings weekly of French fries was associated with a 20% excess risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D). There was no significant association between consumption of baked, boiled, or mashed potatoes and risk of diabetes. However, swapping any form of potatoes for whole grains was estimated to lower T2D risk. The study offers the most comprehensive findings on potatoes and T2D risk to date. Prior studies have ...

Three weekly servings of French fries linked to higher diabetes risk

2025-08-06
Eating three servings of French fries a week is associated with a 20% increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but eating similar amounts of potatoes cooked in other ways - boiled, baked or mashed - does not substantially increase the risk, finds a study published by The BMJ today.  What’s more, replacing any form of potatoes with whole grains was associated with a lower type 2 diabetes risk, but swapping them for white rice was linked to an increased risk, the results show. Potatoes contain several nutrients including fibre, vitamin C, and magnesium, but they also have a high starch content and therefore a high glycemic index, so have been linked to a ...

Global hunt for ‘positive tipping points’

2025-08-06
Experts are calling for a global effort to identify “positive tipping points” to accelerate the green transition – and have devised a method to find them. A tipping point is a threshold where a small change can trigger a significant, often irreversible, transformation. With climate change becoming increasingly damaging and dangerous, positive tipping points in human societies and economies can spark rapid reductions in emissions and other environmental harm. Positive tipping points are already happening – with solar power and electric vehicles rapidly displacing fossil-fuelled alternatives – but many more are needed to ensure a thriving, sustainable ...

Getting the most out of therapy – Therapists report what you should know before starting

2025-08-06
Of 1.7 million referrals for therapy in 2022-23, more than 1 million people dropped out before starting or during their therapy. This represents a dropout rate of over 60%. Many patients report worries about therapy, uncertainty about the process, and ill-preparedness for the journey ahead as to why they didn’t engage.  Using the scientific Delphi Consensus approach with 41 therapists, researchers from Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, have published a report in BMJ Open listing recommendations for things people should know, and steps they can try, while awaiting therapy ...

Clean energy is here. Getting it to EVs isn’t

2025-08-06
Even if enough renewable energy is available, simply switching from gas-powered cars to electric vehicles (EVs) won’t be enough to fight climate change — unless the U.S. also upgrades its transmission grid, a new Northwestern University study finds. If every gas-powered vehicle in the U.S. were replaced by an EV, transmission constraints would prevent the cleanest available electricity from reaching many charging locations. This “grid congestion” would force greater reliance on nearby fossil fuel power plants, undercutting the emissions benefits of electrification. After identifying the issue, the study also recommends a modest set of targeted ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Chagos study highlights value of vast Marine Protected Areas

Scared of giving birth? You’re not alone, but stay positive to ease the fear

New study links 2023 Maui wildfire to spike in suicide, overdose

Elevated cdc42 activity is a key initiation event leading to proteinuria.

Walking further and faster is linked to a reduced risk of heart attacks, heart failure and stroke in people with high blood pressure

Nanoparticles that self-assemble at room temperature could transform vaccine delivery

With just a few messages, biased AI chatbots swayed people’s political views

Potatoes may increase risk of type 2 diabetes—depending on their preparation

Three weekly servings of French fries linked to higher diabetes risk

Global hunt for ‘positive tipping points’

Getting the most out of therapy – Therapists report what you should know before starting

Clean energy is here. Getting it to EVs isn’t

Study: Affordable trial programs prevented youth substance misuse

Better access to technology can help African Americans bridge the healthcare gap

Higher risk of ischemic stroke at young age after pregnancy complications

Complicated pregnancies linked to higher risk of early stroke

American Society of Anesthesiologists hosts ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2025

Cockatoos perform 30 distinct dance moves and may combine them in unique ways

Common patterns found among scientists with remarkable early-career citation success

Adolescent girls who have weight concerns despite not being obese are more likely to also experience depression and suicidality, per Korean survey of more than 50,000 middle and high school students

What’s in your pup’s bowl? Heavy metals, reveals 10-state survey

Ocean sediments might support theory that comet impact triggered Younger Dryas cool-off

Waiting in line: Why six feet of social distancing may not be enough

Toxic well water will affect household pets first, new study finds

Some young suns align with their planet-forming disks, others are born tilted

Neighbors matter: Community cohesion boosts disaster resilience, Texas A&M study finds

Virtual reality shows promise in easing stress for cardiac patients, UCLA Health study finds

MBARI researchers deploy new imaging system to study the movement of deep-sea octopus

Scrambled RNA nudges millions of people towards type-2 diabetes

Big heart, acute senses key to explosive radiation of early fishes

[Press-News.org] Scared of giving birth? You’re not alone, but stay positive to ease the fear