Digital Storytelling Study
Digital Storytelling
to explore fear of childbirth
Welcome
What is the study about?
The aim of this study is to support women who are suffering or have suffered from fear of childbirth. We would like to give you the opportunity to share your experiences of what it is like to live with this fear during pregnancy and how you deal with it or have dealt with it. In a workshop led by a certified digital storytelling facilitator, you will develop your personal digital story with four or five other women. Digital stories are short, three to five minute visual stories created using a mix of voice recordings, music, images and text to convey compelling accounts of your experiences. The process of digital storytelling represents an innovative approach. This is intended to help participants better understand their emotional state. Through this process you can exchange ideas with the other women taking part and reflect on your experiences. We want to investigate the extent to which this process can support women to develop health-promoting attitudes, beliefs and behaviors when dealing with fear of childbirth. You can view some digital stories here.
What can you expect when you take part in the workshop?
If you choose to participate, you'll take part in three four-hour workshops to develop your own digital story alongside other women who are suffering or have suffered from fear of childbirth. To begin, you will be introduced to the process of digital storytelling in a thirty-minute online session. You will then write the first draft of your story script (400-800 words) in no more than sixty minutes to prepare for the workshops.
The digital storytelling workshops consist of three phases. In the first, an individual phase, you work on your story with the support of the research team. In the subsequent group phase, you will present your story to the other participants and receive feedback. In the final group phase, all stories are watched and then reflected on in the group. Following the workshop, we will arrange a suitable date for a 60-minute personal online interview.
Who can participate?
You can take part in this study if you
are pregnant or have recently been pregnant and are suffering or have suffered from fear of childbirth
are 18 years old or older
speak German, English or Spanish
Women have unique pregnancy and birth experiences that can evoke both positive and negative feelings. If the negative feelings prevail, it can lead to women experiencing fear of childbirth, a complex condition that includes physical, mental and behavioral aspects. Some women report recurring, intensifying thoughts that cause stress, nervousness, tension and restlessness. Women also report suffering from nightmares, fatigue, stomachache and difficulty concentrating. Women with fear of childbirth may also tend to catastrophize possible negative aspects of childbirth. They cry frequently and often express a need to talk about their fears.
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New studies say more and more women are struggling with fear of childbirth, with rates ranging from 4.5% to 15.6% in Europe and a global trend of around 14%. While it's hard to find an exact definition of fear of childbirth, it means that some women feel quite anxious when they think about giving birth. You could see it as a kind of spectrum, with some women experiencing just a bit of fear at the one end, while others have a more severe form called "tokophobia." at the other. It's normal for some women to feel a bit nervous or anxious about giving birth, but for others this fear can be distressing. Studies show that fear of childbirth can affect the daily life of at least 10% of pregnant women in Western countries.