Development of the Japanese version of the fear of childbirth scale, and the relation to psychosocial factors among Japanese pregnant women.

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This study aimed to develop the Japanese scale for measuring fear of childbirth, and to explore psychosocial factors for fear of childbirth among Japanese pregnant women. First, we translated the Swedish Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire (W-DEQ) version A (which assesses antenatal fear of childbirth) and version B (which assesses postnatal fear of childbirth) into Japanese. The translated W-DEQ versions were confirmed their validity and reliability. Secondly, we solicited Japanese pregnant women who were at three obstetrical facilities for answering self-administered questionnaires at late pregnancy, three days and one month postpartum. The results revealed that individual's vulnerability towards stressful events such as a lower sense of coherence and a higher anxiety trait were associated with fear of childbirth.