Relationship Between Fear of Childbirth and Prenatal Depression: A Moderated Mediation Model.

BACKGROUND

Fear of childbirth is a common psychological problem among women during the perinatal period. It not only affects the physical and mental health of the mother, but also has an impact on the health of the fetus. Studies have shown that fear of childbirth has a significant positive predictive effect on prenatal depression. However, there are few studies exploring the underlying mechanism between fear of childbirth and depression.

METHODS

Childbirth Attitude Questionnaire, Social Support Rating Scale, Rumination Scale and Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale were used to measure 2765 Chinese pregnant women.

RESULTS

Fear of childbirth had a positive predictive effect on prenatal depression (β = 0.11, t = 15.63, P < 0.001); rumination played a partial mediating role in the influence of fear of childbirth on prenatal depression, with an indirect effect value of 0.05; social support not only moderated the impact pathway of childbirth fear on rumination (β = -0.01, t = -2.26, P < 0.01), but also moderated the impact pathway of rumination on prenatal depression (β = -0.01, t = -2.12, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Rumination mediated the relationship between fear of childbirth and prenatal depression, and social support had a moderating effect on the first and second half of the mediation model.