Women's worries during pregnancy; a cross-sectional survey using the Cambridge Worry Scale in a rural area with long distance to hospital

Background: Worries are common during pregnancy, but there is sparse knowledge of worries when the distance to hospital is long. Aim: To assess the extent and content of worries during pregnancy. Another aim was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Swedish version of the Cambridge Worry Scale. Method: Cross-sectional study of 280 women recruited to a continuity project and completed a questionnaire in mid pregnancy. Result: Women were most worried about something being wrong with the baby, giving birth and the risk of miscarriage. Women also reported worries about giving birth on the road or in the car. Two domains of the Cambridge Worry scale were identified; Socio-medical and health aspects and Socio-economic and relationship aspects. Women with high fear and depressive symptoms were most at risk for major worries. Conclusion: Worries during pregnancy were mainly related to issues about pregnancy and birth, and specifically, to long distance to the labour ward. Women with depressive symptoms and fear of birth showed the highest levels of worries. When a woman expresses worries in connection to labour and birth, caregivers must be sensitive to the presence of underling fears or depressive symptoms and act to refer women to treatment or support.