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What causes tocophobia, the fear of pregnancy and childbirth?
Thanks for asking.
According to the NHS, approximately 1600 babies are born every day in the United Kingdom.
But what often goes unspoken are the nine months leading up to this event, the periods of anxiety, doubt and self-discovery that mothers inevitably experience.
A study published in Evolution Medicine and Public Health Journal in April 2023 found that 62 of women grapple with a panic-inducing fear of pregnancy and childbirth.
Psychologists refer to this phenomenon as Tocophobia.
So where does Tocophobia come from?
Before diving into its origins, let's revisit what defines a phobia.
It's an irrational fear that takes disproportionate hold in a person's life, monopolizing thoughts and influencing choices.
In the case of tocophobia, it's a phenomenon which dates back to 1850, when French doctor Louis Victor Marseille published the first article on the subject, titled Treatise on the Madness of Pregnant Women.
It took almost 150 years, until 1997, for the fear of childbirth to officially be recognised by the World Health Organisation.
The term Tocophobia itself emerged in 2000, coined by British psychiatrists Christina Hofberg and Ian Brockington.
It's derived from the Greek words Tokos meaning birth and Phobos meaning fear.
Like all phobias, tocophobia unfolds in several stages.
Primary tocophobia typically affects women who've never given birth and is often linked to psychological trauma, memories of difficult childbirths or experiences of sexual abuse, for example.
Secondary tocophobia tends to emerge after a challenging childbirth.
Lastly, tocophobia linked to prenatal depression combines anxiety and pathological depression.
From a practical standpoint, tocophobia induces an anticipatory fear of imaginary sleep deprivation, yet-to-happen behavioural disorders or postpartum depression.
The anxieties experienced by those with tocophobia may also stem from the fear of intense pain, medical complications or even death following childbirth.
In extreme cases, individuals with this phobia may develop a complete aversion to healthcare institutions, avoiding visits to the doctor altogether.
And how can a woman overcome it?
In cases of tocophobia, various therapeutic approaches exist, all centered around psychological intervention.
This may involve discussing negative experiences with a psychologist, joining support groups to connect with individuals who've gone through similar experiences, or visiting the obstetrics service at the patient's hospital to get reassurance from midwives and doctors.
There you have it!
Now you know what causes tocophobia.
In under three minutes, we answer your questions and help you understand the true meaning behind the trends, concepts and acronyms that are making headlines.
Listen along and you will really know for sure.
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