Also, fear of childbirth may be associated with poor
communication. Poor communication with health personnel
may delay obstetric interventions and thereby prolong
labour Women who received counselling for pregnancy
concern may have already had or may have developed better
communication skills. In our study counselling for
pregnancy concern was associated with shorter duration of
labour, although not significantly. In Sweden and Finland,
similar treatment has been shown to reduce pregnancyrelated
and birth-related anxiety. Hence, such counselling
may be beneficial for women who fear childbirth.