The Relationship between Midwifery Students’ Adverse Childhood Experiences, Fear of Childbirth, and Professional Interest: A Multicenter Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: Very little is known about how midwifery students’ own negative experiences affect their transition into their professional roles. This study aims to examine the relationship between adverse childhood events, fear of childbirth, and professional interest levels among final-year midwifery students.
Methods: This cross-sectional and descriptive study was conducted between September 1 and December 31, 2022, with final-year midwifery students selected using a multi-stage purposive sampling method aimed at representing different geographical regions of Türkiye. Data were collected through an online questionnaire, and the sample consisted of 567 students who agreed to participate. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Independent samples t-test, analysis of variance, and Chi-square test were used for group comparisons; Pearson correlation and linear regression analyses were used to examine the relationships between variables.
Results: The mean age of the participants was 22.2±1.21, and the majority were single (96.6%, n=548). After graduation, 71.6% (n=406) of the students stated that they wanted to work as midwives in the public sector, 91.9% (n=521) stated that they were satisfied with their midwifery education, and 58.0% (n=329) stated that the midwifery profession was suitable for them. Participants’ mean fear of childbirth score was 3.44 (±1.17), a high level of professional interest (3.97±0.71), and a low level of adverse childhood events (0.16±0.198). A significant positive correlation was found between the number of traumatic experiences and fear of childbirth (r=0.111; p<0.01), while no significant correlation was observed with professional interest. A moderate negative correlation was identified between fear of childbirth and professional interest (r=−0.330; p<0.001). Regression analysis revealed that adverse childhood events significantly increased fear of childbirth (β=0.144; p<0.001), but had no significant effect on professional interest.
Discussion and Conclusion: Past-traumatic experiences among midwifery students appear to increase their fear of childbirth, which may negatively impact their level of professional interest. These findings underscore the importance of trauma-informed approaches in midwifery education. It is recommended that midwifery curricula incorporate content aimed at enhancing psychosocial support, emotional awareness, and coping skills for trauma.

Keywords: Adverse childhood experiences, Cross-sectional study, Fear of childbirth, Professional interest, Trauma-informed care