Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41601497›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in psychiatry2025

The mediating role of fear of childbirth in the relationship between intolerance of uncertainty and cesarean section preference among pregnant women.

Feng Zhang, Yuqing Zan, Min Liu, Shanshan Hu, Ningying Zhou, Wenjing Zhang, Na Wang

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in psychiatry, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Feng Zhang *Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.
Yuqing Zan *Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.
Min LiuDepartment of Nursing, Wuxi Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.
Shanshan HuDepartment of Nursing, Wuxi Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.
Ningying ZhouDepartment of Nursing, Wuxi Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.
Wenjing ZhangWuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.
Na WangWuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to investigate the relationship between intolerance of uncertainty and preference for cesarean section, and to explore whether fear of childbirth mediates the relationship between intolerance of uncertainty and preference for cesarean section. Methods: A total of 310 pregnant women in the third trimester who attended outpatient clinics at Wuxi Maternal and Child Health Hospital from July to September 2024 were included in this study. The survey instruments used included a Sociodemographic Information Questionnaire, Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale-12, and the Fear of Birth Scale. Mediation analysis was conducted using R 4.4.3 software. Results: A total of 310 surveys were distributed to participants, and ultimately 290 eligible questionnaires were collected, resulting in a response rate of 93.55%. The prevalence of cesarean section preference among participants was 20.69%. The mean score for intolerance of uncertainty was 30.94 ± 7.13, and the mean score for fear of childbirth was 51.50 ± 23.32. This study shows that intolerance of uncertainty and fear of childbirth are both positively associated with a preference for cesarean section. Fear of childbirth mediates the relationship between intolerance of uncertainty and preference for cesarean section. Conclusions: Intolerance of uncertainty is a positive predictor of preference for cesarean section, and fear of childbirth mediates this association. These findings provide a basis for developing targeted interventions to reduce rates of unnecessary cesarean sections.

Indexed as

antepartumcesarean sectionfear of childbirthintolerance of uncertaintymaternal mental healthmediating effect

Identifiers

PMID41601497
PMCPMC12833458

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.