Nursing Interventions to Reduce Fear of Childbirth: A Literature Review Study

Abstract

Background. Fear of childbirth during pregnancy has an impact on a woman’s daily life and affects her well-being. Midwives, as reference professionals in pregnancy and normal birth care, should seek to restore women’s confidence in their bodies and ensure that they all have access to the support, care and information that promotes a positive birth experience. Objectives. Identify the nurse interventions aimed at reducing fear of childbirth in pregnant women. Methodology. In this bibliographic review we have used the databases PubMed, Cinahl, Cochrane Library, Scielo, Scopus, Cuidatge and Cuiden. Results. There are included a total of 24 articles: four observational studies, four experimental studies, five randomized clinical trials, two quasi-experimental studies, three qualitative studies, five systematic reviews and one of mixed qualitative/quantitative methodology. The results obtained refer to interventions such as: counselling, mindfulness, antenatal education, the use of role play, art therapy, psychoeducation and companion-integrated childbirth preparation. Conclusion. We can say that there are a variety of interventions for managing childbirth fear in pregnant women. The interventions studied have shown positive results in reducing the fear of childbirth. The best healthcare model to reduce the fear of childbirth has been found to be the continuity of care. Lastly, the number of studies in our geographical and cultural environment should be increased.