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Tokophobia

December 20, 2023

Tokophobia is a significant fear of childbirth.[1] It is a common reason why some women request an elective cesarean section.[1] The fear often includes fear of injury to the baby, genital tract, or death.[1] Treatment may occur via counselling.[1]

Tokophobia
Other namesTocophobia, maieusiophobia, parturiphobia
TreatmentCounselling[1]
Frequency~14% of women[2]

It is a type of specific phobia. In 2000, an article published in the British Journal of Psychiatry described the fear of childbirth as a psychological disorder that has received little attention and may be overlooked.[3]

Signs and symptoms edit

Phobia of childbirth, as with any phobia, can manifest through a number of symptoms including nightmares, difficulty in concentrating on work or family activities, panic attacks and psychosomatic complaints. Often the fear of childbirth motivates a request for an elective caesarean section.[4] Fear of labor pain is strongly associated with the fear of pain in general; a previous complicated childbirth, or inadequate pain relief, may cause the phobia to develop. A fear of pregnancy itself can result in an avoidance of pregnancy or even, as birth control methods are never 100% effective, an avoidance of sexual intercourse or asking for sterilization, e.g. via hysterectomy.

Tokophobia is a distressing psychological disorder which may be overlooked by medical professionals; as well as specific phobia and anxiety disorders, tokophobia may be associated with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.[5] Recognition of tokophobia and close liaison with obstetricians or other medical specialists can help to reduce its severity and ensure efficient treatment.[6][7]

The causes of tokophobia are complex and unique for every woman. Ways of treating tokophobia need to be investigated further but a number of psychological interventions including psychoeducation [18], cognitive behavioural therapy, enhanced midwifery care [19], psychodynamic therapy and eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing therapy [20], have been found to reduce FOC in pregnant women. More tailored support needs to be developed since not all women have the same type of symtoms and fears.

Cause edit

Reasons for tokophobia can be complex. Women may fear for the infant's life, fear the unknown and fear the uncertainty of the labour and birth process. Women may develop tokophobia based on previous traumatic birth and delivery processes. Women may lack trust in obstetric services, or fear being left alone while in labour. Tokophobia incorporates fear and anxiety on a continuum, where the fear ranges from mild to severe and disabling. Tokophobia can lead to avoidance of pregnancy, e.g., preconception fear of childbirth and not to prefer giving birth vaginally [12-14]. If the fear during pregnancy is left untreated, there is an increased risk for developing pregnancy-specific anxiety, which is associated with impaired neuro-emotional development in newborns [15-16]. 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 [17].

Primary tokophobia edit

Primary tokophobia is the fear and deep-seated dread of childbirth in women who have never experienced birth. It may pre-date pregnancy and can start in adolescence or begin in pregnancy. This may relate back to their own mother's experience or be triggered by exposure to childbirth without adequate explanation at a young age. It may also be experienced by women who have been sexually abused or raped; childbirth could trigger flashbacks in women who are traumatised.

Secondary tokophobia edit

For parous women, a previous negative birth experience is often the underlying cause of fear of childbirth (tokophobia). Sometimes the negative birth experience is strongly correlated to having experienced imminent danger to the health of the child, such as having an emergency caesarean section [10-11].

Terminology edit

The term tokophobia was introduced in the medical literature in 2000.[3] The word is from the Greek tokos, meaning childbirth and phobos, meaning fear.[3]

It is also known as "maleusiophobia" (though this is certainly a variant of "maieusiophobia", from the Greek "maieusis", literally meaning "delivery of a woman in childbirth"[8] but referring generally to midwifery), "parturiphobia" (from Latin parturire, meaning "to be pregnant"), and "lockiophobia".[9]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e Wax, JR; Cartin, A; Pinette, MG; Blackstone, J (August 2004). "Patient choice cesarean: an evidence-based review". Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey. 59 (8): 601–16. doi:10.1097/01.ogx.0000133942.76239.57. PMID 15277895. S2CID 21956472.
  2. ^ O'Connell, Maeve A.; Leahy-Warren, Patricia; Khashan, Ali S.; Kenny, Louise C.; O'Neill, Sinéad M. (2017). "Worldwide prevalence of tocophobia in pregnant women: systematic review and meta-analysis". Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica. 96 (8): 907–920. doi:10.1111/aogs.13138. ISSN 0001-6349. PMID 28369672.
  3. ^ a b c Hofberg, Kristina; Brockington, I. F. (1 January 2000). "Tokophobia: an unreasoning dread of childbirth". British Journal of Psychiatry. 176 (1): 83–85. doi:10.1192/bjp.176.1.83. PMID 10789333. Retrieved 4 February 2017 – via bjp.rcpsych.org.
  4. ^ Garrod, Debbie (December 2011). "Rebuilding confidence in women's abilities in birth". British Journal of Midwifery. 19 (12): 830. doi:10.12968/bjom.2011.19.12.830.
  5. ^ Hilpern, Kate (28 May 2003). "Hard labour". theguardian.com. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
  6. ^ Roland-Price, Anna; Chamberlain, Zara (2012). "Management of tocophobic women". In Karoshi, Mahantesh; Newbold, Sandra; B-Lynch, Christopher; et al. (eds.). A Textbook of Preconceptional Medicine and Management (PDF). UK: Sapiens Publishing Ltd. pp. 281–288. ISBN 978-0-9552282-4-7. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
  7. ^ "Fear of Childbirth, Lecture by Astrid Osbourne, Consultant Midwife" on YouTube
  8. ^ "maieusis". www.perseus.tufts.edu. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
  9. ^ Bainbridge, David (2001). Making Babies: The Science of Pregnancy. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. p. 214. ISBN 0674006534.

10. Lyberg A, Dahl B, Haruna M, Takegata M, Severinsson E. Links between patient safety and fear of childbirth - A meta-study of qualitative research. Nursing Open 2019;6:18-29

11. Nilsson C, Lundgren I, Karlström A, Hildingsson I. Self-reported fear of childbirth and its association with women´s birth exerience and mode of delivery: a longitudial population-based study. Women and Birth 2012;25:114-121

12. Rondung E, Thomtén J & Sundin Ö. Psychological perspectives on fear of childbirth. Journal of Anxiety Disorders. 2016;44:80–91.

13. Rouhe H, Salmela-Aro K, Gissler M, Halmesmäki E, Saisto T. Mental health problems common in women with fear of childbirth. British Journal of Obstetrics and Gyneacology 2011; 118:1104-1111.

14. SFOG. (Svensk förening för Obstetrik och Gynekologi [Swedish Society of Obstetrics & Gynecology]. Förlossningsrädsla [Childbirth fear]. Report No: 77. Stockholm: 2017.

15. Erickson NL, Gartstein MA, Dotson JAW. Review of Prenatal Maternal Mental Health and the Development of Infant Temperament. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 2017 Jul-Aug;46(4):588-600.

16. Van den Bergh B R H, Mulder E J H, Mennes M, Glover V. Antenatal maternal anxiety and stress and the neurobehavioural development of the fetus and the child: links and possible mechanisms. A review. Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews, 2005, Vol.29 (2), p.237-258

17. O´ Connell M A, Leahy-Warren P, Khashan A S, Kenny L C, O´Neill SM. Worldwide prevalence of tochophobia in pregnant women: systematic review and meta-analysis. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2017;96:907-920.

18. Striebich S, Mattern E, Ayerle G M. Support for pregnant women identified with fear of childbirth (FOC)/tokophobia – A systematic review of approaches and interventions. Midwifery, 2018, Vol.61, p.97-115

19. Webb R, Bond R, Romero-Gonzalez B, Mycroft R, Ayers S. Interventions to treat fear of childbirth in pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychological medicine. 2021;51(12):1964-1977.

20. Moghaddam Hosseini V, Nazarzadeh M, Jahanfar S. Interventions for reducing fear of childbirth: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials. Women and Birth 2017;31(4):254–62.

External links edit

 
Look up tokophobia in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
  • Tokophobia: scared of giving birth?
  • Tokophobia: what it’s like to have a phobia of pregnancy and childbirth

December 20, 2023
tokophobia, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, august, 2020, l. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Tokophobia news newspapers books scholar JSTOR August 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message Tokophobia is a significant fear of childbirth 1 It is a common reason why some women request an elective cesarean section 1 The fear often includes fear of injury to the baby genital tract or death 1 Treatment may occur via counselling 1 TokophobiaOther namesTocophobia maieusiophobia parturiphobiaTreatmentCounselling 1 Frequency 14 of women 2 It is a type of specific phobia In 2000 an article published in the British Journal of Psychiatry described the fear of childbirth as a psychological disorder that has received little attention and may be overlooked 3 Contents 1 Signs and symptoms 2 Cause 2 1 Primary tokophobia 2 2 Secondary tokophobia 3 Terminology 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksSigns and symptoms editPhobia of childbirth as with any phobia can manifest through a number of symptoms including nightmares difficulty in concentrating on work or family activities panic attacks and psychosomatic complaints Often the fear of childbirth motivates a request for an elective caesarean section 4 Fear of labor pain is strongly associated with the fear of pain in general a previous complicated childbirth or inadequate pain relief may cause the phobia to develop A fear of pregnancy itself can result in an avoidance of pregnancy or even as birth control methods are never 100 effective an avoidance of sexual intercourse or asking for sterilization e g via hysterectomy Tokophobia is a distressing psychological disorder which may be overlooked by medical professionals as well as specific phobia and anxiety disorders tokophobia may be associated with depression and post traumatic stress disorder 5 Recognition of tokophobia and close liaison with obstetricians or other medical specialists can help to reduce its severity and ensure efficient treatment 6 7 The causes of tokophobia are complex and unique for every woman Ways of treating tokophobia need to be investigated further but a number of psychological interventions including psychoeducation 18 cognitive behavioural therapy enhanced midwifery care 19 psychodynamic therapy and eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing therapy 20 have been found to reduce FOC in pregnant women More tailored support needs to be developed since not all women have the same type of symtoms and fears Cause editReasons for tokophobia can be complex Women may fear for the infant s life fear the unknown and fear the uncertainty of the labour and birth process Women may develop tokophobia based on previous traumatic birth and delivery processes Women may lack trust in obstetric services or fear being left alone while in labour Tokophobia incorporates fear and anxiety on a continuum where the fear ranges from mild to severe and disabling Tokophobia can lead to avoidance of pregnancy e g preconception fear of childbirth and not to prefer giving birth vaginally 12 14 If the fear during pregnancy is left untreated there is an increased risk for developing pregnancy specific anxiety which is associated with impaired neuro emotional development in newborns 15 16 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 17 Primary tokophobia edit Primary tokophobia is the fear and deep seated dread of childbirth in women who have never experienced birth It may pre date pregnancy and can start in adolescence or begin in pregnancy This may relate back to their own mother s experience or be triggered by exposure to childbirth without adequate explanation at a young age It may also be experienced by women who have been sexually abused or raped childbirth could trigger flashbacks in women who are traumatised Secondary tokophobia edit For parous women a previous negative birth experience is often the underlying cause of fear of childbirth tokophobia Sometimes the negative birth experience is strongly correlated to having experienced imminent danger to the health of the child such as having an emergency caesarean section 10 11 Terminology editThe term tokophobia was introduced in the medical literature in 2000 3 The word is from the Greek tokos meaning childbirth and phobos meaning fear 3 It is also known as maleusiophobia though this is certainly a variant of maieusiophobia from the Greek maieusis literally meaning delivery of a woman in childbirth 8 but referring generally to midwifery parturiphobia from Latin parturire meaning to be pregnant and lockiophobia 9 See also editList of phobias Blood injection injury type phobia Psychiatric disorders of childbirth Anxiety disorderReferences edit a b c d e Wax JR Cartin A Pinette MG Blackstone J August 2004 Patient choice cesarean an evidence based review Obstetrical amp Gynecological Survey 59 8 601 16 doi 10 1097 01 ogx 0000133942 76239 57 PMID 15277895 S2CID 21956472 O Connell Maeve A Leahy Warren Patricia Khashan Ali S Kenny Louise C O Neill Sinead M 2017 Worldwide prevalence of tocophobia in pregnant women systematic review and meta analysis Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica 96 8 907 920 doi 10 1111 aogs 13138 ISSN 0001 6349 PMID 28369672 a b c Hofberg Kristina Brockington I F 1 January 2000 Tokophobia an unreasoning dread of childbirth British Journal of Psychiatry 176 1 83 85 doi 10 1192 bjp 176 1 83 PMID 10789333 Retrieved 4 February 2017 via bjp rcpsych org Garrod Debbie December 2011 Rebuilding confidence in women s abilities in birth British Journal of Midwifery 19 12 830 doi 10 12968 bjom 2011 19 12 830 Hilpern Kate 28 May 2003 Hard labour theguardian com Retrieved 13 December 2015 Roland Price Anna Chamberlain Zara 2012 Management of tocophobic women In Karoshi Mahantesh Newbold Sandra B Lynch Christopher et al eds A Textbook of Preconceptional Medicine and Management PDF UK Sapiens Publishing Ltd pp 281 288 ISBN 978 0 9552282 4 7 Retrieved 13 December 2015 Fear of Childbirth Lecture by Astrid Osbourne Consultant Midwife on YouTube maieusis www perseus tufts edu Retrieved 13 December 2015 Bainbridge David 2001 Making Babies The Science of Pregnancy Cambridge Harvard University Press p 214 ISBN 0674006534 10 Lyberg A Dahl B Haruna M Takegata M Severinsson E Links between patient safety and fear of childbirth A meta study of qualitative research Nursing Open 2019 6 18 2911 Nilsson C Lundgren I Karlstrom A Hildingsson I Self reported fear of childbirth and its association with women s birth exerience and mode of delivery a longitudial population based study Women and Birth 2012 25 114 12112 Rondung E Thomten J amp Sundin O Psychological perspectives on fear of childbirth Journal of Anxiety Disorders 2016 44 80 91 13 Rouhe H Salmela Aro K Gissler M Halmesmaki E Saisto T Mental health problems common in women with fear of childbirth British Journal of Obstetrics and Gyneacology 2011 118 1104 1111 14 SFOG Svensk forening for Obstetrik och Gynekologi Swedish Society of Obstetrics amp Gynecology Forlossningsradsla Childbirth fear Report No 77 Stockholm 2017 15 Erickson NL Gartstein MA Dotson JAW Review of Prenatal Maternal Mental Health and the Development of Infant Temperament J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs 2017 Jul Aug 46 4 588 600 16 Van den Bergh B R H Mulder E J H Mennes M Glover V Antenatal maternal anxiety and stress and the neurobehavioural development of the fetus and the child links and possible mechanisms A review Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews 2005 Vol 29 2 p 237 25817 O Connell M A Leahy Warren P Khashan A S Kenny L C O Neill SM Worldwide prevalence of tochophobia in pregnant women systematic review and meta analysis Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 2017 96 907 920 18 Striebich S Mattern E Ayerle G M Support for pregnant women identified with fear of childbirth FOC tokophobia A systematic review of approaches and interventions Midwifery 2018 Vol 61 p 97 11519 Webb R Bond R Romero Gonzalez B Mycroft R Ayers S Interventions to treat fear of childbirth in pregnancy a systematic review and meta analysis Psychological medicine 2021 51 12 1964 1977 20 Moghaddam Hosseini V Nazarzadeh M Jahanfar S Interventions for reducing fear of childbirth A systematic review and meta analysis of clinical trials Women and Birth 2017 31 4 254 62 External links edit nbsp Look up tokophobia in Wiktionary the free dictionary Tokophobia scared of giving birth Tokophobia what it s like to have a phobia of pregnancy and childbirth Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tokophobia amp oldid 1174428869, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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