BACKGROUND:
The Birth Belief Scale (BBS) assesses how birth is perceived by women. This validated scale (Preis & Benjamini, 2017) has gained international interest. Originally developed in Israel, the BBS has already been translated and validated into English, Turkish, Dutch, and Chinese versions. A Portuguese version is in progress.

OBJECTIVES:
The research aims to validate the BBS for the German language, addressing the need for culturally sensitive tools in midwifery.

METHODS:
The study was conducted in compliance with ethical standards and received a positive approval from the Ethics Committee of Hannover Medical School. The first step involved a comprehensive multi-step translation process (Schmidt et al., submitted), followed by the psychometric validation. A total of 602 pregnant women completed the survey.

RESULTS:
Preliminary results indicate acceptable internal consistency. However, the original structure of the scale could not be validated through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). An exploratory factor analysis with half of the sample was performed. The resulting factor structures will subsequently be evaluated using another CFA with the second half of the sample. The results of this analysis are still forthcoming, as is the assessment of construct and divergent validity.

CONCLUSIONS:
Understanding pregnant women´s birth beliefs enables midwives to tailor their care accordingly. They can offer personalized care, build trust, and empower women. This aligns with the congress theme, emphasizing the need for global tools that enhance care quality. The BBS is a valid instrument for examining professionals' birth beliefs, including aspiring midwives, encouraging self-awareness and contributing to improved practice in midwifery and maternity care.

KEY MESSAGE:
The validated German Birth Belief Scale empowers midwives with a culturally sensitive tool, enhancing personalized care and supporting global initiatives to improve maternal health. Poster session 2 (Group A)