Continuity of care vs standard counselling for fear of birth: a Swedish comparative study

Background/Aims Treatment for fear of birth during pregnancy demonstrates inconsistent results. Continuity models of care show promise in this area. The aim of this study was to evaluate satisfaction with treatment for fear of birth in a midwifery continuity model compared to standard counselling in Sweden. Methods A total of 175 purposively sampled women who received care using a continuity of care model between 2021 and 2023 and a historical cohort of 467 women in previous studies who received counselling completed questionnaires about their experiences. Differences between groups were calculated using odds ratios. Results Women with fear of birth who experienced the continuity model were more likely to be satisfied with counselling (adjusted odds ratio: 2.26; P=0.043) and report that their fear disappeared or decreased (adjusted odds ratio: 4.03; P=0.002). These women also rated medical (adjusted odds ratio: 2.06; P=0.034) and emotional (adjusted odds ratio: 2.45; P=0.007) aspects of intrapartum care higher than those who received standard counselling. Conclusions Women were more satisfied with care received in the continuity model compared to standard counselling. Implications for practice Women who fear birth may benefit from receiving care in midwifery continuity models during pregnancy and childbirth. Implementation of such models is encouraged.