What is the extreme fear of having a baby?

This is called tokophobia. Sometimes the fear is so intense that women may avoid having babies altogether. Other women may experience antenatal anxiety, depression, or post traumatic stress disorder following a difficult birth. These conditions are serious and need treatment.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on pregnancybirthbaby.org.au

What is the extreme fear of giving birth?

It is rare, but some women are so afraid of giving birth that they don't want to go through with it, even if they really want to have the baby. A severe fear of childbirth may also affect their decision on how to give birth to their baby. This is called Tokophobia and it can happen in any pregnancy.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on tommys.org

What is the biggest fear is getting pregnant?

What Is Tokophobia? This fear may lead women to avoid becoming pregnant, even though they want to have children, or to opt for a Caesarean section in order to avoid vaginal birth.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on verywellmind.com

Is tokophobia a mental illness?

These negative feelings are sometimes linked to past experiences going as far back as childhood. Secondary tokophobia occurs in women who have given birth. It is considered a form of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on webmd.com

Why is it called tokophobia?

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

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on en.wikipedia.org

One Brave Woman's Battle To Overcome Her Pregnancy Phobia

38 related questions found

What is vehophobia?

Vehophobia is specifically the fear of driving a motor vehicle. It is not the fear of being in a car or riding as a passenger. Phobias that are similar to vehophobia include: Amaxophobia – the fear of being in a vehicle. Hodophobia – the fear of traveling.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on thomaslawoffices.com

What is Lockiophobia?

In the context of childbirth, Lockiophobia is the similar word of fear of childbirth. People with this phobia tend to fear how a pregnancy may change their life and body, if the child will be born normal and healthy or if they will die giving birth to the child.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on juniperpublishers.com

Can tokophobia be cured?

Treatment of Tokophobia

Tokophobia is a treatable condition and women are likely to experience a decrease in their symptoms after seeking help. Women who recover from tokophobia may feel less anxious about childbirth overall and are less likely to request a cesarean delivery.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on choosingtherapy.com

How do you get over tokophobia?

'Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can be helpful for tokophobia and pregnancy anxiety, as it can help you to identify, and learn how to change, the thought patterns contributing to your fears. CBT will also provide you with psychological techniques to reduce and manage your anxiety.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on livi.co.uk

How do you conquer tokophobia?

There is currently no cure for acrophobia, but exposure therapy, a form of psychological therapy, is successful in treating it. Exposure therapy is considered the first-line treatment for specific phobias in general.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on my.clevelandclinic.org

How painful is giving birth?

This pain can be felt as strong cramping in the abdomen, groin, and back, as well as an achy feeling. Some women experience pain in their sides or thighs as well. Other causes of pain during labor include pressure on the bladder and bowels by the baby's head and the stretching of the birth canal and vagina.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on kidshealth.org

Why am I so scared of getting pregnant?

For some, however, these fears reach abnormal levels and interfere in daily life—in these cases, fear and anxiety about pregnancy can be signs of mental health conditions like tokophobia (fear of pregnancy) or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on treatmyocd.com

How common are pregnancy scares?

Pregnancy scares are fairly common. A 2011 survey done by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, now called Power to Decide, found that 54 percent of young women surveyed said that they've had a pregnancy scare.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on seventeen.com

How can I stop being scared to give birth?

Coping techniques
  1. Find outside experts and resources you trust to provide good, helpful information or care. ...
  2. Ask questions about things that worry you most. ...
  3. Attend classes to understand what you'll need to do during labor, and tour the facility where you plan to deliver so you know what to expect when you arrive.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on utswmed.org

What does birth feel like?

While the experience is different for everyone, labor typically feels like extremely strong menstrual cramps that get progressively more and more intense as time goes on1.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on parents.com

How long does it take to push a baby out?

The length of this stage varies with the position and size of the baby and your ability to push with the contractions. For first-time mothers the average length of pushing is one-to-two hours. In some instances, pushing can last longer than two hours if mother and baby are tolerating it.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on sutterhealth.org

What are the consequences of tokophobia?

It is difficult to predict who might be affected. Anxiety, insomnia, sleeplessness, eating disorders and antenatal depression or increased risk of postnatal depression, have all been identified as consequences of tokophobia. Some women with tokophobia may have a less satisfying bond with their babies.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on hull.ac.uk

How do you diagnose tokophobia?

Diagnosis. Like other psychological conditions, tokophobia is diagnosed by a qualified mental health professional, such as a psychologist, psychiatrist, or licensed clinical social worker. In some cases, a primary care provider or even your OB/GYN may be able to make the diagnosis based on your reported symptoms.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on verywellfamily.com

What are the side effects of tokophobia?

Tokophobia Consequences
  • Maternal guilt. Women with primary or secondary tokophobia may often love children and long to have their own offspring, but be disabled by fear of childbirth. ...
  • Pregnancy denial and complications. Tokophobic pregnant women often deny their pregnancy. ...
  • Depression. ...
  • Sterilization. ...
  • PTSD.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on news-medical.net

What is Mageirocophobia?

Mageirocophobia occurs when you're fearful of cooking or the idea of cooking. You may experience intense anxiety or go out of your way to avoid cooking. For many people, this phobia stems from not wanting to make mistakes.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on my.clevelandclinic.org

How rare is amaxophobia?

This phobia affects people of both sexes. Statistics in Europe indicate that it is suffered by people who are between 30 and 40 years of age and that it is suffered by 6% of the population. Some extreme cases of extreme amaxophobia can destroy a person's social, work or professional life.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on leaseplan.com

Do I have amaxophobia?

Some symptoms of amaxophobia include intense anxiety when riding in a car, anxiety when thinking of riding in a car, the feeling of terror related to being in vehicles, increased heartbeat rate, dizziness, panic attacks and physical symptoms such as trembling, sweating, and nausea.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on ameliavirtualcare.com

What triggers amaxophobia?

Experiences: Traumatic experiences can also play a part in the development of a phobia such as amaxophobia. Research suggests that traffic accidents are the most common causes of amaxophobia.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on verywellmind.com

How likely is it to get pregnant from Precum?

What are the Chances of Getting Pregnant from Precum? The common answer is your chances are very low.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on americanpregnancy.org

What is the dawn rule of 10 in pregnancy?

5 time checkups for normal pregnancy,10 times or more checkups for high risk pregnancy,started checkups since 10th week,18th week,24th wk,28th wk, 32th.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on practo.com