Fear of childbirth from the perspective of midwives working in hospitals in Norway: A qualitative study
Peer reviewed, Journal article
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https://hdl.handle.net/11250/2647203Utgivelsesdato
2019Metadata
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Sammendrag
Aim: To illuminate the perceptions of hospital‐based midwives who support women suffering from moderate to severe fear of childbirth during an expected vaginal birth. Design: A qualitative descriptive and explorative study. Methods: Focus group interviews were conducted with 18 midwives representing four different hospitals in Norway. Results: Encountering fear of childbirth evoked the desire to protect and help, al‐ though the ability to provide optimal support was dependent on several circum‐ stances, several of which were beyond the midwives̕ control. The main theme “Midwives finding their own strength when encountering the vulnerability of women with fear of childbirth” consisted of two themes: “Being present” and “Being alone.” The midwives described being present as a prerequisite for continuity of care and af‐ firmation. The emphasis on continuity of care could give rise to a sense of loneliness and guilt during and after demanding situations in the birthing room.
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This is an open access article under the terms of the Creat ive Commo ns Attri butio n‐NonCo mmerc ial‐NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non‐commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.