On the relation of self-efficacy and coping with the experience of childbirth

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the relationship between self-efficacy expectancies, the use of coping behavior strategies during labor and satisfaction after childbirth. Methods: A quantitative observational design was applied as part of a correlational study conducted in the maternity unit of a Hospital Complex that welcomes nearly 4,000 births each year at Vigo, Spain, between 2014 and 2015. A total of 276 low-risk pregnant women were recruited to undertake a self-assessment of their childbirth experience at two stages: within the last three months of pregnancy and within two weeks after labor. Data were collected through the Childbirth Self-Efficacy Inventory to measure self-efficacy expectancies as well as coping, along with a 6 items, 10-point Likert scale to measure satisfaction after childbirth. Results and conclusions: Pearson product-moment correlation supported the positive association of self-efficacy expectancies scores with coping during labor. Multivariate regression analysis also revealed gains in satisfaction after childbirth associated with coping during labor. Women with larger scores in self-efficacy were found to use coping strategies during labor, had a more positive evaluation of the childbirth experience and showed significant gains in satisfaction after childbirth. The study supports the efforts of healthcare professionals to increase satisfaction with the childbirth experience by helping to enhance self-efficacy and coping in pregnant women.

The childbirth experience: obstetric and psychological predictors in Italian primiparous women

“…For this reason, it would be useful to expand the research to different Italian regions so that the results could be made generalizable to the entire Italian population. Moreover, as already described, this study did not consider the impact of intra-partum variables, for example, the impact that relational and organizational elements may have on a woman’s subjective birth experience [46]. Furthermore, the neonatal outcome could also have an impact on women’s emotional birth experience.…”

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Childbirth Preparation Courses on Women’s Self-Efficacy among Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Religious Women in Israel

“…The current study deals with a unique population of primigravid women in the ultra-orthodox religious Jewish community of Israel. The literature showed that fear of childbirth was associated with reduced maternal confidence [ 1 , 2 , 3 ], increasing anxiety, and reduced self-efficacy [ 5 , 8 ]. The aim of the present study was to examine the contribution of childbirth preparation courses to a woman’s ability to cope successfully with childbirth by raising her self-efficacy.…”

“…Despite the decrease in self-efficacy in both groups in the second measurement, the coping of women who participated in the course was higher than that of women who did not participate in it. High self-efficacy was associated with low-risk pregnancies, fewer caesarean sections, less labor pains and suffering, and low postpartum depression rates [ 7 ], better positive assessment of the birth experience, and higher satisfaction with childbirth [ 8 ]. In agreement with the literature, in our study, women who participated in the course learned about professional coping strategies in dealing with the birth itself, while women who did not attend the course did not receive, for example, breathing exercises.…”

“…High self-efficacy at birth was associated with low-risk pregnancies, fewer caesarean sections, less labor pains and suffering, and low postpartum depression rates [ 7 ]. Among 276 pregnant Spanish women, positive associations were found between self-efficacy in childbirth and the use of coping strategies, better positive assessment of the birth experience, and higher satisfaction with childbirth compared to women with lower self-efficacy [ 8 ]. Women with low self-efficacy tended to choose a caesarean section instead of natural birth and continued to request a caesarean section in further pregnancies [ 9 ].…”

The relationship between childbirth self-efficacy and coping styles of problem based and emotive based in nulliparous pregnant women

“…study in Spain, nulliparous pregnant women had a high level of childbirth self-efficacy. [ 5 ] However, the study results of Shojae et al . in Mashhad showed that nulliparous pregnant women had a moderate level of childbirth self-efficacy.…”