Perceived Safety in Childbirth: Pregnancy Predictors of Women's Experiences During Childbirth

Abstract

Background: Women's perceived safety during childbirth contributes to their childbirth experience, which can impact mental health and the experience of future pregnancies. Unexpected birth events may predict negative experiences of childbirth, but there is limited evidence about the role of demographic, health, and psychological factors known during pregnancy. The aim of this paper was to model pregnancy predictors of women's perceived safety during childbirth. Methods: Women (n = 313) < 20 weeks' gestation were recruited from a large maternity hospital in Melbourne, as part of the Mercy Pregnancy and Childbirth Study (MPEWS). The dependent variable was the Perceived Safety Scale score from ..