The New York Times (5/16, Rabin) reports that an “online survey of nearly 1,800 American women found that in the early days of the pandemic, fear of childbirth, “may have affected the majority of American women: 62% of pregnant respondents reported high levels of fear and worry about childbirth.” The survey indicated that “more than 80% of the women said that because of the pandemic, they were worried that they would not have the support person they wanted in the hospital with them while in labor, that their baby might be taken away if they were diagnosed with COVID or that they might infect their baby if they had the virus.” Meanwhile, “Black mothers, who face almost three times the risk of dying from pregnancy-related complications, were” nearly “twice as likely to have a strong fear of childbirth as white mothers.” The findings were published in Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health.
Related Links:
— “Many Women Have an Intense Fear of Childbirth, Survey Suggests “Roni Caryn Rabin, The New York Times, May 16, 2023