Fear of childbirth and mental health among lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer people: a cross-sectional study

Figures & data

Table 1. Socio-demographic data of the participants.

	Total sample n = 134	Pregnant partner  n = 80 (59.7%)	Non-pregnant partner n = 54 (40.3%)
Age in years (mean SD)	33.6 (4.0)	33.7 (3.7)	33.4 (4.5)
Education n (%)
High school	18 (14.0)	10 (13.0)	8 (15.4)
University degree	110 (85.3)	66 (85.7)	44 (84.6)
Other	1 (0.8)	1 (1.3)	–
Civil status n (%)
Cohabiting/married	128 (96.2)	75 (94.9)	52 (98.1)
Couple living apart	2 (1.5)	1 (1.3)	1 (1.9)
Single	3 (2.3)	3 (3.8)	–
Gestational age in weeks (mean SD)	28.4 (7.5)	28.1 (7.5)	28.6 (7.6)
Obstetric history n (%)
Respondent given birth previously	21 (15.7)	7 (8.8)	14 (25.9)
Respondent’s partner given birth previously	22 (16.4)	20 (25.0)	2 (3.7)
Respondent present when partner was giving birth	15 (11.2)	14 (17.5)	1 (1.9)
Gender identity n (%)
Female	126 (94.0)	76 (96.2)	48 (90.6)
Transgender male	2 (1.5)	0 (0)	2 (3.8)
Non-binary/Gender fluid/Gender queer	6 (4.5)	3 (3.8)	3 (5.7)
Sexual identity n (%)
Lesbian/Homosexual	90 (67.7)	53 (67.1)	37 (68.5)
Bisexual/Pansexual	32 (24.1)	20 (25.3)	12 (22.2)
Other/Queer	11 (8.3)	6 (7.6)	5 (9.3)
Medication n (%)	47 (36.2)	24 (30.4)	22 (41.5)
Psychotropic drugs	13 (9.7)	3 (3.7)	6 (1.3)
Other/non-specified	37 (27.6)	22 (27.8)	22 (41.5)
Self-reported earlier trauma n (%)	53 (40.5)	32 (40.5)	21 (39.6)
Sexual abuse as trauma	18 (13.4)	9 (11.3)	9 (16.7)
Other trauma	35 (26.1)	23 (28.8)	12 (22.2)

Table 2. Severe and phobic FOC in the total sample and the groups of pregnant and non-pregnant partners.

Fear of childbirth	Total sample n = 134	Pregnant partner n = 80	Non-pregnant partner n = 54	Sign. p
W-DEQ, median (25^th–75^th percentile)	65.0 (48.8–78.0)	67.5 (55.3–81.8)	60.0 (42.8–70.0)	0.005^a
W-DEQ, mean (SD)	64.3 (22.3)	68.7 (22.8)	57.6 (20.0)	–
Severe FOC (W-DEQ ≥ 85) n (%)	21 (15.7)	16 (20.0)	5 (9.3)	0.093^b
Phobic FOC (W-DEQ ≥ 100) n (%)	6 (4.5)	5 (6.3)	1 (1.9)	0.401^c

W-DEQ: Wijma Delivery Expectancy Questionnaire.

^aMann-Whitney U-test; ^bChi-Square test; ^cFischer’s exact test.

Table 3. Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression in the total sample and the groups of pregnant and non-pregnant partners.

Mental health	Total sample n = 134	Pregnant partner n = 80	Non-pregnant partner n = 54	Sign. p
HADS anxiety, median (25th–75th percentile)	6.0 (3.0–8.0)	5.0 (3.0–7.0)	7.0 (3.0–10.0)	0.239^a
HADS anxiety, mean (SD)	6.1 (3.9)	5.7 (3.5)	6.6 (4.3)	–
Symptoms of anxiety (HA(D)S ≥ 11) n (%)	22 (16.4)	12 (15.0)	10 (18.5)	0.590^b
HADS depression, median (25th–75th percentile)	3.0 (1.0–4.0)	3.0 (1.0–6.0)	2.0 (0.8–3.0)	0.013^b
HADS depression, mean (SD)	3.2 (2.8)	3.6 (3.0)	2.4 (2.4)	–
Symptoms of depression (H(A)DS ≥ 11) n (%)	3 (2.2)	2 (2.5)	1 (1.9)	1.000^c

HADS: Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale.

^aMann-Whitney U-test; ^bChi-Square test; ^cFischer’s exact test.