REASON WHY WOMEN ARE SCARED OF GIVING BIRTH

Scared of Giving Birth?

As much as it is a great joy to carry and deliver a baby for nine (9) months, being scared of giving birth is still prevalent in most countries and is a phobia in itself. Pregnancy is an important physical, psychological and social event in the life of all women. Instead of being a pleasant experience, for some people, pregnancy can become a disturbing and frightening event, and the fear can take on a pathological dimension that must be recognized and addressed. Most women can manage their fear and anxiety with self-help, social support, and medical care.

If you ask a group of pregnant women about their fears about childbirth, you will find that being scared of giving birth is widespread.

The term for this fear is refered to as Tokophobia.

Pregnant women express fears related to pregnancy and childbirth ranging from 20% to 78% (Bhatia and Jhanjee, 2012). However, only 13% of women report being scared enough to delay or avoid pregnancy.

One might wonder why this happens, but the reality is that there are a variety of factors that have led women to fear childbirth.

Before going into details, let’s see what the fear of giving birth is.

Tokophobia is a pathological fear of pregnancy that can lead to the prevention of childbirth. It is divided into two categories: primary and secondary. Primary tokophobia is a pathological fear of childbirth in a woman who has never been pregnant before. The phobia of birth can begin in adolescence or early adulthood.

It’s rare, but some women are so afraid of childbirth that they refuse to give birth even if they really want the child. This is called tokophobia and can occur at any time during pregnancy. Your decision on how to deliver your child may also be influenced by your great fear of childbirth.

Women who are scared of giving birth are more likely to feel sadness or fear.

Others may have a hard time understanding how someone can be so afraid of something that seems “so normal” to them. Tokophobia, on the other hand, is a mental disorder that requires therapy and support.

Due to a terrible birth experience, some women develop a strong fear of birth. You may be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder in this scenario. It is not the same as tokophobia and requires separate therapy.

What to do when I am scared of giving birth?

Tell your midwife or doctor how you are feeling as soon as possible during your pregnancy. They can calm you down. Remember that anxiety is a mental health issue, not a sign of weakness, something that will go away on its own, or something you just need to “get over”. Your midwife or doctor will not criticize you for this; Instead, they focus on providing you with the best possible service and support.

She should be referred to a psychiatrist for pregnant women if her anxiety is severe. Ideally this should be someone who has dealt with birth anxiety.