Effect of lifestyles on fear of pregnancy: Development and psychometric testing of the fear of pregnancy scale.

Objective: Pregnancy may be a cause of fear for some women. Fear of pregnancy is a woman's belief that her health or life may get worse due to pregnancy. This study aimed to develop a valid and reliable instrument to measure fear of pregnancy in women, and determine the effect of lifestyle on fear of pregnancy.

Methods: This study was conducted in three phases. For the first phase, item generation and selection were made through qualitative interviews and literature review. In the second phase, items were administered to 398 women of reproductive age. The scale development phase was completed with exploratory factor analysis and internal consistency analysis. In the third phase, the Fear of Pregnancy Scale was developed, and was administered, together with the Lifestyle Scale, to women of reproductive age (n = 748).

Results: The Fear of Pregnancy Scale was found to be a valid and reliable instrument for women of reproductive age. Perfectionism, control and self-esteem lifestyles were found to influence fear of pregnancy. Furthermore, fear of pregnancy was significantly more common in primiparous women and women with insufficient information about pregnancy.

Conclusion: This study found that fear of pregnancy was moderate and varied with lifestyle. Factors associated with fear of pregnancy that remain unspoken, and how they affect women's lives are not yet known. Evaluation of fear of pregnancy in women can be an important step in showing adaptation to future pregnancy, and revealing its effects on reproductive health.