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Tokophobia – a topic that has received little attention.

By on April 4, 2024

Giving birth is one of the most magical experiences for a woman but it could also be one of the most intense as the body goes through different stages of pain during labor and delivery. It is completely normal for women to be stressed about a variety of pregnancy and childbirth aspects.  They may worry about labor pains or what happens to their baby during vaginal childbirth, etc… These concerns happen in women but don’t cause great anxiety.

But in Tokophobic women who have much stronger fears about pregnancy and childbirth than most, the quality of life is impacted. They may want to avoid intimacy, or may have such a strong fear of vaginal childbirth that they want a cesarean birth instead.

An article published in the British Journal of Psychiatry described the irrational fear of childbirth as a psychological disorder that has received little attention.

Why it matters

Tokophobic women’s intense fear ranges from mild, severe to crippling. If the fear during pregnancy is left untreated, there is an increased risk for developing pregnancy-specific anxiety, associated with impaired neuro-emotional development in newborns. With increased distress and anxiety during pregnancy, there is a risk that it will also interfere with the woman’s ability to cope with everyday life and preparation to become a mother.

Tokophobia is more common than most people realize. A systematic review by the Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology using studies from 18 countries show that 14% of pregnant women have tokophobia and the rate appears to have increased since 2000.

Symptoms

Some of Tokophobia symptoms are common with other forms of depression and anxiety disorders impacting several aspects of life, from sleep to diet to overall mood. Studies estimate that as many as 1 in 20 cases of postpartum depression and anxiety may be related to tokophobia.

  • Delaying or deliberately avoiding pregnancy
  • Insomnia
  • Stress or headaches
  • Refusing a vaginal birth to have a c-section without rational medical reasons
  • Symptoms of depression, such as decreased appetite or libido, lack of interest to do household chores, reduced social activity.
  • Mood swings

Types of Tokophobia

Primary tokophobia: Occurs in women who have never experienced birth before.  Tokophobic symptoms may occur before or during pregnancy. This may have a connection to their own mother’s experience or triggered by having seen an actual childbirth at a young age without adequate explanation. Childbirth could trigger flashbacks in women who are traumatized by unpleasant episodes in their life such as rape, domestic violence or sexual abuse.

Secondary tokophobia: Occurs in women whose fear is linked to a prior negative birth experience.

The Talk therapy

If you notice symptoms of tokophobia during pregnancy, ask your obstetrician-gynecologist for cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) considered effective for anxiety disorders.

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