Is Tokophobia Keeping You From Fulfilling Your Family Goals?

It’s natural to feel some anxiety about pregnancy. Whether you’re expecting or thinking about getting pregnant, you probably have some concerns about the potential health risks at this time of year and during childbirth.

But for some people, their concerns go beyond low-level fear to more extreme states. This problem is clinically known as floor phobia.

“Tokophobia is an extreme or pathological fear of pregnancy and childbirth.” amy danielson, a clinical psychologist and director of the Women’s Mental Health Program at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. “This is also known as phobia of childbirth or FOB, but I prefer bed phobia because many of the patients I have seen are more afraid of the pregnancy than the experience of giving birth. Fear of childbirth. For some people, this includes a pronounced fear of pregnancy itself.”

Below, experts explain the symptoms, causes, and treatments in detail.

It’s common to feel some level of anxiety around pregnancy and childbirth, but bedphobia goes beyond these typical fears.

“The fear a person may experience may last six months or more and may leave people feeling overwhelmed and result in extreme efforts to avoid pregnancy and childbirth,” says Obstetrician and Gynecologist. said Dr. Javin McLaughlin, physician and senior director of clinical solutions. Carrot fertility. “Acrophobia can significantly impair a person’s ability to function at work and in social life.”

the word tokophobia First appearance in medical literature Although it was discovered in 2000, experts have been aware of the condition long before the 21st century.

“It’s been documented in medical journals as far back as 1897, albeit under a different name,” says Jill Lamar, a certified professional counselor at Thriveworks in Philadelphia. In fact, there are many references to “maygeophobia” and “childbirth phobia” in old literature.

Venophobia is usually classified as either primary or secondary phobia. The former refers to people who have never experienced childbirth and have a fear of pregnancy and childbirth, while the latter refers to people who have experienced this fear after experiencing at least one pregnancy.

Like other phobias, venue phobia has a variety of causes and risk factors, but is often related to past trauma.

“Secondary bedphobia typically develops after a traumatic birth or obstetric outcome,” Danielson says. “It can occur after stillbirth, miscarriage, or abortion.”

In primary bed phobia, seeing or hearing someone else’s traumatic birth experience can be a contributing factor.Actor Helen Mirren has spoken about the graphic birth movies he watched at school as a teenager. gave her deep trauma I don’t even want to have my own child.

“For children and teens to witness someone else’s complicated or medically uncomplicated birth can be a risk factor,” Danielson said. “And sometimes that extreme fear or fear of pregnancy doesn’t really show itself until you’re newly married or have a new partner and parenthood is coming up or it’s on the table.”

She added that a history of sexual trauma or abuse can also be a risk factor, especially if it causes fear of vaginal exams as part of prenatal care. People with tocophobia may have other phobias, such as fear of needles, fear of blood injection injuries, fear of pain, or simply a debilitating fear of the unknown.

“Women from marginalized groups, data reveals Increased risk of death from pregnancy and childbirthor who have experienced difficulties with previous pregnancies or difficulties parenting an existing child, also tend to have higher rates of experiencing floor phobia,” Lamar said.

She pointed out that since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people have developed a deep fear of pregnancy. That’s because expectant parents faced the possibility of going to the hospital and giving birth alone, without their partner or other emotional support, during the outbreak.

If you or a family member has a history of generalized anxiety disorder, depression, or panic disorder, you are more likely to experience venue phobia.

“Fear related to childbirth is not uncommon, so the fears of someone with floor phobia may be ignored and perceived as normal,” the psychologist said. Michele Reno. “Unlike a healthy fear, venuephobia causes significant psychological distress in the person affected. The person may want to have a child, but the fear of childbirth is too overwhelming. It is.”

She noted that venue phobia, like other phobias, can cause high anxiety and avoidance behaviors.

“Many people with floor phobia can’t stand watching TV shows where someone gives birth to a baby because it’s too painful,” Danielson says. “I can’t listen to my friends talk about their birth experiences.”

People with this condition tend to become overly fixated on the unpredictable, worrying, and potentially dangerous aspects of pregnancy and childbirth.

“Changes in body shape, the need to eat more food than usual, weight gain, morning sickness, fatigue, and other pregnancy-related issues are often considered unpleasant and may not only be unpleasant, but also at an intolerable level. ,” Lamar said. “The idea of ​​having a doctor access your body regularly to check on your child and ultimately allow you to give birth, and what you perceive as the fear of childbirth, can be countered by avoiding sex with your partner. It can numb you enough to make you feel safe.”

Many gynophobes use multiple methods of contraception and go overboard to avoid pregnancy.

“Symptoms may include constant anxiety and thoughts about pregnancy and childbirth,” McLaughlin said as well. “Physical symptoms such as stomach problems and changes in eating and sleeping habits may occur. Relationships may also be affected by avoiding sexual contact or not being able to form intimate relationships. there is.”

Bed phobia can also manifest as nightmares, panic attacks, hyperventilation, crying, anxiety attacks, and other physical and psychological symptoms that reach extreme levels that interfere with healthy functioning.

“For those who actually become pregnant, the first week of pregnancy can be more frightening than fun,” says psychologist Nadia Teymourian. moment of clarity.

It can lead to severe depression, feelings of hopelessness, and worthlessness, especially if your concerns are ignored or downplayed.

“Many women with venue phobia don’t realize their phobia until they’re nearing the end of their term,” Teymourian says. “They may wish to have an elective caesarean section, but find that the doctor does not understand or is not sensitive to their fears. This can cause further anxiety. Women with pregnancy-related phobias may overreact to their fears or appear melodramatic.”

Knowledge is power when it comes to dealing with field phobia.

“Taking childbirth classes and increasing your understanding of the pregnancy and birth process can help reduce the unknowns that are often associated with the pregnancy and birth process,” McLaughlin said. “Having someone to support you from pregnancy to birth, such as a doula, can help create a comfortable atmosphere for the birth.”

Talking to loved ones who have had successful pregnancies and births can provide reassurance and clarify misunderstandings. Lamar advised her to be honest about her concerns and avoid the horror stories that some people like to bring up in conversation.

“Medical professionals, especially obstetricians and gynecologists, can provide additional information and data to ease your concerns,” she added.

Options such as surrogacy and adoption may also offer another path to parenthood, but many people with tokophobia are happy not to have children. But if having children is your goal, mental health counseling can make a big difference.

“Phobias are so deep-rooted that trying to deal with them alone may have little success,” Leno says. “A therapist or coach can help you identify thoughts that perpetuate your fears. Trying to hide or avoid talking about them can cause further distress.”

Cognitive behavioral therapy can help people with field phobia learn how to deal with past trauma.

“Women with venuephobia are often prescribed antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications,” Teymourian said, noting that treatment approaches vary depending on the nature of the experience. She says, “The first step is to talk to a trusted health care provider to ensure you receive the appropriate support and treatment.”

There are also in-person and online support groups that offer a safe space to express your fears, anxieties, and even ambivalence about pregnancy. Many people with agoraphobia feel a sense of shame, and the right support system can help them process these feelings in a healthy way.

“The decision to have a child should be one you can embrace with confidence,” Lamar says. “Yes, like many things in life, uncertainty exists. But if we let the uncertainty of life prevent us from enjoying the beauty of the world and the people around us, we Everyone loses.”