Fear of childbirth prolongs interpregnancy interval: A nationwide register-based quantile logistic regression analysis

• Published in: European journal of obstetrics & gynecology and reproductive biology: X 2024-03, Vol.21, p.100281, Article 100281
• Main Authors: Vaajala, Matias, Mattila, Ville M., Kuitunen, Ilari
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Fear of childbirth; Interpregnancy interval; Obstetrics; Obstetrics and Maternal Fetal Medicine
• ISSN: 2590-1613; 2590-1613
• DOI: 10.1016/j.eurox.2024.100281

It is not well studied how fear of childbirth (FOC) influences the interpregnancy interval (IPI). Thus, we aimed to analyze the association between FOC and the length of the IPI. All women having their first and second pregnancies during the study period (2004–2018) were gathered from the Finnish Medical Birth Register. A logistic regression model was used to assess the association between the FOC and subsequent length of the IPI. The length of the IPI was assessed separately for women with FOC in the first pregnancy, and for women who developed the FOC in the second pregnancy. IPIs with a length in the lower quartal were considered short IPIs, and length in the upper quartal as long IPIs. Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% CIs were compared between the groups. A total of 52 709 women with short IPI (2.57 years) were included. A total of 3606 women had FOC in the first pregnancy, and a total of 11 473 had their first FOC diagnosis in the second pregnancy. Women with FOC in the first pregnancy had lower odds for short IPI (aOR 0.88, CI 0.81–0.95) and higher odds for long IPI (aOR 1.30, CI 1.21–1.40). Women with the first FOC diagnosis in the second pregnancy had higher odds for long IPI (aOR 1.68, CI 1.61–1.75), When only vaginal deliveries in the first pregnancy were included, women with FOC in the second pregnancy had lower odds for long IPI (aOR 0.71, CI 0.66–0.75) and higher odds for long IPI (aOR 1.52, CI 1.41–1.62), when only cesarean section was included. The main finding of this study was that women with FOC had notably higher odds for long IPI. The etiologic and background factors behind FOC should be better recognized and prevented, and FOC should not only be considered as a complicating factor for pregnancy and delivery but also a factor that strongly affects the desire of women to get pregnant again. •Women with fear of childbirth had higher odds for long interpregnancy interval.•Fear of childbirth affects the desire of women to get pregnant again.•Fear of childbirth should be better recognized and prevented