The relationship between childbirth self-efficacy and aspects of well-being, birth interventions and birth outcomes

this study aimed to examine how women׳s childbirth self-efficacy beliefs relate to aspects of well-being during the third trimester of pregnancy and whether there was any association between childbirth self-efficacy and obstetric factors.

a cross-sectional design was used. The data was obtained through the distribution of a composite questionnaire and antenatal and birth records.

data were recruited from antenatal health-care clinics in Halland, Sweden.

a consecutive sample of 406 pregnant women was recruited at the end of pregnancy at gestational weeks of 35-42.

five different measures were used; the Swedish version of Childbirth Self-Efficacy Inventory, the Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire, the Sense of Coherence Questionnaire, the Maternity Social Support Scale and finally the Profile of Mood States.

results showed that childbirth self-efficacy was correlated with positive dimensions as vigour, sense of coherence and maternal support and negatively correlated with previous mental illness, negative mood states and fear of childbirth. Women who reported high childbirth self-efficacy had less epidural analgesia during childbirth, compared to women with low self-efficacy.

this study highlights that childbirth self-efficacy is a positive dimension that interplays with other aspects and contributes to well-being during pregnancy and thereby, acts as an asset in the context of childbirth.