Mei Qi Ang, Peiling Pearlyn Lee, Sujitha Kumar Lakshmana, Amelia Shuyi Tan, Priscilla Tan, Tanuja Nair, Sylvia Mun
Women reported that important aspects of their fear of childbirth were difficult to express through verbal communication. Art Therapy was described as providing a space to express and process their fears through visual means, supporting emotional safety and promoting shared understanding within their relationships. Women also perceived creative activities as helping them and their partners feel psychologically prepared for childbirth. Healthcare institutions should consider expanding antenatal assessment and support beyond conventional dialogue-based and content-focused approaches.
PURPOSE: Fear of childbirth is characterized by heightened fear and anxiety related to pregnancy, labor, and the birthing process. Engaging in creative activities may help women externalise and process their emotions and develop coping strategies to manage their fears. The study aimed to explore the experiences of women who had undergone Art Therapy for fear of childbirth during pregnancy.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: This paper presents the qualitative component of a mixed methods study. A descriptive qualitative design was used. Women aged 21 to 50 years old, exhibited a high level of fear of childbirth measured using the Fear of Birth Scale (FOBS) and had undergone the Art Therapy intervention during pregnancy, were invited to participate in individual semi-structured interviews at four weeks after childbirth. Women were excluded if they had experienced obstetric complications during pregnancy, had a current diagnosis of depression requiring medical intervention, or had stillbirth.
RESULTS: A total of 20 women took part in the interviews. The average duration of the interviews was 40.6 minutes. Participants' age ranged from 25 to 39 years, with a mean age of 31.3 years (SD = 4.05). Thematic analysis generated three themes and ten subthemes. The main themes were: (i) The burden of anticipating childbirth, (ii) Art as a pathway to healing and support, (iii) Psychological adjustment in preparation for childbirth.
CONCLUSION: Women reported that important aspects of their fear of childbirth were difficult to express through verbal communication. Art Therapy was described as providing a space to express and process their fears through visual means, supporting emotional safety and promoting shared understanding within their relationships. Women also perceived creative activities as helping them and their partners feel psychologically prepared for childbirth. Healthcare institutions should consider expanding antenatal assessment and support beyond conventional dialogue-based and content-focused approaches.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov on 5 February 2024 (Trial ID: NCT06257186).