For many women, such a life adjustment may lead them to decide they do not want children; however, for some, the very idea may fill them with dread and fear. Tokophobia is a pathological fear of pregnancy and can lead to the avoidance of childbirth, according to the National Institutes of Health.
There are two forms of this phobia:
In 2022, studies suggested that this tokophobia affected between 2.5 per cent to 14 per cent of all women; though more research is required to determine the actual number.
Pregnancy and anxiety related to childbirth are very common in women, however, people with tokophobia experience such severe fear that it may cause them to take excessive measures to avoid falling pregnant.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, people with the phobia who do become pregnant may spend their pregnancy in dread and fear rather than enjoying it, as it can affect a person's thoughts and behaviours.
Many people suffering from tokophobia also suffer from depression.
Symptoms of tokophobia can include:
Some people with Tokophobia may also:
The triggers for this phobia range from societal pressures to health anxiety to trauma.
The main causes for tokophobia include:
Preexisting fears may bring on the phobia around pregnancy and childbirth, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
These include:
Treating tokophobia is possible through Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and talking through the aspects of childbirth that are triggering the phobia.
A mental health professional can also provide healthy coping methods that can assist with tokophobia.
Other alternative treatments can include hypnotherapy, stress reduction techniques such as yoga and meditation, and antidepressants if the sufferer has depression.
If you are experiencing any symptoms related to childbirth or pregnancy, whether primary or secondary, you should speak to your healthcare provider to determine to best course of treatment for you.
