Turkish version of the childbirth readiness scale: validity and reliability study

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Maternal Health
• Psychometric Evaluation

Background:

• Childbirth readiness is crucial in antenatal care, mitigating birth fears and improving maternal well-being.
• Reliable measurement tools are needed to assess childbirth readiness, especially given global fertility trends and childbirth's psychological impact.

Purpose of the Study:

• To adapt the Childbirth Readiness Scale for Turkish-speaking populations.
• To evaluate the psychometric properties of the adapted scale in pregnant women during their third trimester.

Main Methods:

• A methodological study involving 626 pregnant women in eastern Türkiye (February-July 2023).
• Data collected using the Personal Information Form and the Childbirth Readiness Scale.
• Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses were performed on two samples (n=321 and n=305).

Main Results:

• The adapted scale comprises 18 items across four subscales: Self-management, Information literacy, Birth confidence, and Birth plan.
• Factor analysis confirmed a well-fitting 4-factor model, explaining 61.5% of the total variance.
• High reliability was demonstrated with a total Cronbach's alpha of 0.87 and subscale alphas ranging from 0.67 to 0.82.

Conclusions:

• The Turkish version of the Childbirth Readiness Scale is a valid and reliable instrument.
• It effectively assesses childbirth readiness in third-trimester pregnant women.
• The scale can identify support needs and inform interventions to enhance childbirth preparation.