Date of Award

9-1-2025

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Esther Lynch

Abstract

Pregnancy and childbirth can evoke a range of emotions, including happiness, frustration, and fear. While some worry during pregnancy is expected, heightened and persistent fear can negatively impact a woman’s mental and physical health. Despite this, fear of childbirth remains underexplored, particularly in the context of Black women’s experiences. Existing literature lacks focus on the contextual and systemic factors contributing to this fear, creating a significant research gap (Reissig et al., 2021). Black women in the United States are disproportionately affected by medical mistreatment, often experiencing dismissal and silencing in clinical settings—an issue frequently rooted in implicit bias and racial stereotyping (MacDorman et al., 2021; Glover, 2021). These inequities contribute to poor medical care and increased vulnerability during childbirth. The maternal mortality rate for Black women remains alarmingly high, at 3.55 times that of White women (MacDorman et al., 2021). This study explores the influential factors that shape the fear of childbirth in Black women using a phenomenological approach to center their lived experiences before, during, and after pregnancy. Guided by Black Feminist Theory, which emphasizes self-definition, intersectionality, and communal knowledge (hooks, 1998), this study investigates how systemic oppression, bias, and historical trauma influence childbirth-related fears. The research addresses two central questions: (1) How do influential factors intersect with oppressive forces and identities to shape the childbirth-related fears experienced by Black women? and (2) How is safety and trust experienced in the birthing process?

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