Identification of women with significant fear of childbirth during late pregnancy.

An unselected, consecutive series of 139 third-trimester pregnant women was investigated concerning 'fear of delivery'. Two methods to identify women with this sentiment were used independently and on the same occasion; i.e. a personal interview and a questionnaire including statements concerning 'fear of childbirth' to be affirmed or denied. The results obtained by the two methods were found to correspond well, i.e. much the same women who had verbally expressed significant fear of delivery during a personal interview were also identified by means of the inventory technique. A questionnaire may therefore replace a personal interview as an instrument to conveniently accumulate a sample of pregnant, 'anxious' women to be further studied with regard to the possible etiology and various expressions of their 'fear of giving birth'.