[Quality-Assured Translation of the Wijma Delivery Expectancy Questionnaire (W-DEQ_A) into German]

The "Delivery Expectancy Questionnaire" by Claas Wijma et al. (W-DEQ_A), which is the most frequently used internationally to determine high levels of fear of childbirth in pregnancy, was not previously available in German. In European countries, Canada, Australia and the United States, fear of childbirth is reported to have a prevalence of 6.3 to 14.8%. Particularly, women with a fear of childbirth have an increased risk for preeclampsia, intrauterine growth retardation, and caesarean sections.

An English version of the W-DEQ_A authorized by Claas Wijma was translated and culturally adapted according to the guideline of Ohrbach et al. (INfORM). Content validity was statistically determined by means of the content validity index/average method (S-CVI/Ave).

The translation of all text sections of the W-DEQ_A was subjected to independent appraisal. One introductory question and three items needed to be retranslated. Moreover, three items required rewording to achieve cultural equivalence. The calculated content validity yielded an "excellent" S-CVI/Ave of 0.91.

The W-DEQ_A is now available in a German version for the self-assessment of fear of childbirth. It is entitled "Gedanken und Gefühle schwangerer Frauen im Hinblick auf die bevorstehende Geburt". In the form of a digital health app, the questionnaire could be prescribed and the result directly transferred to the electronic patient record.