Elin Ternström

Elin Ternström is a Senior Lecturer at Dalarna University's School of Health and Welfare, Department of Midwifery. She holds a PhD and is a licensed midwife. Her research focuses on fear of childbirth, maternal healthcare for migrant populations, and improving care practices through interdisciplinary collaboration. She co-leads the Postgraduate Programme in Midwifery and collaborates with Elisabet Rondung (Mid Sweden University) on childbirth anxiety research.

• Roles: Programme Director, Researcher, Lecturer
• Educations: PhD in Midwifery, Licensed Midwife Certification

Key research interests include:

• Mechanisms of childbirth fear development
• Cross-cultural healthcare accessibility
• Effectiveness of CBT interventions
• Preconception mental health preparation

Her recent work explores pain catastrophizing patterns and healthcare utilization among migrant women. Current projects focus on refining fear assessment tools and staff training programs.

Research highlights include a landmark 2018 randomized controlled trial comparing internet-based CBT with standard care for childbirth fear, showing significant efficacy improvements. Ongoing studies examine preconception fear dynamics and midwifery communication strategies in multicultural settings.

Her work emphasizes practical clinical applications, with recent articles analyzing free-text patient feedback to improve care quality and exploring staff perspectives on supporting fearful patients.