Tocophobia
Tocophobia is a pathological fear of pregnancy and can lead to avoidance of child birth. It is the morbid fear of childbirth in a woman, either who has had no previous experience of pregnancy or who had a previous traumatic birth. The dread of childbirth may start in adolescence or early adulthood.
Causes of Tocophobia
Causes for tocophobia can be complex, however; including vicarious trauma through family or friends, previous traumatic experience in the hospital or previous traumatic birth, a history of rape or sexual abuse, and lack of trust in the hospital staff. Women may catastrophize labour pain.
Treatment for Tokophobia
Some other forms of treatment include cognitive behaviour therapy, psychotherapy and taking medication to help tackle your feelings. You could also try hypnobirthing techniques to see if that helps ease the anxiety.
Management of tocophobia is individualized and depends on the cause. Early psychological support is vital. Women need to be involved in developing an appropriate birth plan. For some women, it may be necessary to carry out an elective Caesarean section. Other considerations may be required depending on the cause of the phobia. If tocophobia is not addressed, it may become worse in subsequent pregnancies or women may avoid further pregnancies. The overall aim is to ensure a safe birth outcome for mother and baby.
If you have a claim for failure to treat tocophobia or failure to facilitate a caesarean section then get in touch today with Dr Victoria Handley on 0800 470 2009 or vhandley@handleylaw.co.uk