Tokophobia: The fear of childbirth

Feelings of dread at the thought of pregnancy and birthAvoidance of sexual activities to avoid becoming pregnantPrimary tokophobia:

This affects women who have never experienced birth. It may affect women who have experienced past trauma in their life or hearing about traumatising childbirth experiences from other women. They may also have a fear of pain or have pre-existing anxiety and depression.This affects women who have previously given birth.

There are many other things that can cause or trigger tokophobia including a lack of trust in medical practitioners, fear of birth-related complications, fear of pain, fear of the unknown and generalised anxiety.You might want to speak to your GP or a mental health professional if you feel like you may be experiencing tokophobia or any anxiety around birth, as they may be able to help you find why you're feeling like this, and help you feel more comfortable with giving birth.

It's also a good idea to speak to other mums, or maybe find a support group where you can chat to mums who may have been through a similar experience as they may help to calm your fears. Try to avoid listening to birth horror stories as these will just add fuel to the fire. Surround yourself with mums who have had a positive birth experience, who will be able to help guide you through yours.

If you think you may have tokophobia or if you're struggling to cope with any anxieties around being pregnant or giving birth, speak to your GP.

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