Title : The relationship between dysmenorrhea impact and women’s pre-pregnancy childbirth fear and traumatic birth perception
Abstract:
Objective: Dysmenorrhea, characterized by severe uterine contractions during menstruation, not only causes physical pain but also has psychological effects. These psychological impacts can contribute to anxieties about childbirth, particularly fear of childbirth in the pre-pregnancy period. Intense pre-pregnancy childbirth fear is an important psychological variable that increases the risk of perceiving childbirth as traumatic. This study aimed to examine the relationship between the impact of dysmenorrhea, pre-pregnancy fear of childbirth, and the perception of traumatic birth among women experiencing dysmenorrhea.
Methods: This cross-sectional study included 313 women with dysmenorrhea who completed an online survey. Data were collected using a Descriptive Characteristics Form, the Revised Dysmenorrhea Impact Scale Short Form (DIS-R), the Traumatic Birth Perception Scale (TBPS), and the Childbirth Fear – Prior to Pregnancy (CFPP) Scale. Analyses included descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, independent samples t-tests, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression.
Results: Participants’ mean age was 27.91±7.19 years; 81.5% were high school or higher graduates, 76.7% were employed, 63.9% had an ideal BMI, 66.5% were non-smokers, 62.6% did not exercise regularly, and 75% had regular menstrual cycles. The mean DIS-R score was 50.11±9.28 (range 14–65), indicating a high impact, while mean TBPS and CFPP scores were 59.69±30.61 (range 0–122) and 40.89±11.80 (range 10–60), respectively, indicating moderate levels. Multiple linear regression showed that the level of being affected by dysmenorrhea significantly predicted both pre-pregnancy childbirth fear (β = 0.228, p < .001) and traumatic birth perception (β = 0.228, p < .001), explaining 11.8% and 11.6% of the variance, respectively.
Conclusion: Being more affected by dysmenorrhea is associated with higher pre-pregnancy childbirth fear and greater perception of childbirth as traumatic. These findings suggest that healthcare providers should consider dysmenorrhea-related experiences when planning interventions aimed at reducing childbirth fear and improving birth experiences.
