FINDINGS
Objects of fears
The most important fears associated with pregnancy and childbirth were those that had to do with the baby's health. The women had been concerned about the baby being handicapped or sick, or dying during pregnancy. There were also some horror images of possible handicaps or illnesses. Some of the women had been afraid that their own behaviour might damage the baby's health. Some had been concerned that the baby might have the umbilical cord around the neck, causing complications. Two women had been concerned about damage being caused to the baby during delivery. One of the participants said that the baby's heart rate had been very high during delivery and she had, therefore, been concerned that the baby might have been damaged before birth.
There was also fears associated with the course of pregnancy. Several women had been concerned about the possibility of miscarriage, blighted ovum or extrauterine pregnancy in the early stages of pregnancy. Many had also been worried that they had not looked after themselves well enough during pregnancy. There had also been fears of the pregnancy not progressing 'normally'
One of the fears associated with childbirth had been the concern that the husband would not be
able to be present during labour and at the birth, and that the mother would have to be on her
own in the delivery room. There had been fears of not knowing when to leave home for the hospital. Most of the fears associated with childbirth had to do with pain. Many informants
had thought about their own experiences of pain, strength, coping and ability to go ahead with the delivery. There had been fears of lack of contractions during labour. Some of the women
had been afraid that labour might be protracted and painful. There were also more general fears
associated with the hospital. Many of the women had been concerned about the possibility of
complications, such as rup.tures, or the placenta,
or a portion of it, not separating from the uterus.
Some feared that their baby was going to be very
large and that they would, therefore, have
difficulty giving birth. A few women had be~n
concerned about how their husbands or partners
would cope in the delivery room