The Duchess of Cambridge makes childbirth look as normal as it should be. But why are women still terrified of giving birth?Â
‘Tokophobia’ is the name for a phobia of giving birth. It affects a whopping 3-8% of pregnant women, increasing the risk of preterm birth.
Beyond normal worries about the pregnancy and birth, women tell me of  their terrifying dread of harm or even death. They complain of poor sleep, a sense of general anxiety and panic that keeps them hyper-alert. I am treating more women than ever now.
Terror of giving birth is a major reason for requesting  caesarean section and epidurals.
Why do women develop a fear of childbirth?
Some risk factors flag it up. A history of anxiety or depression is one obvious one. Childhood abuse is another while a previous bad birth experience pushes up the risk factor.
Younger mums are more at risk  and anyone without a good support network. Women who have babies later or via IVF, tell me they often feel isolated. Family and friends who are veteran mothers can’t relate to a mum-to-be’s fears. There’s a reluctance to mention fears – “I don’t want to come across as ungrateful or selfish,’ Aoife revealed during a session with me. ‘My husband thinks it’s funny but I feel stupid.’
No sooner do you share your baby news –  and women feel they have free rein to tell you all about their birth. No gory detail is too trivial. Mothers, and mammies alike, often strike terror into mums-to-be with ghastly tales of bad birth experiences. I simply stopped telling people I was a midwife …
A picture paints a thousand words
Ireland is ranked 22 out of 176 countries safest to have a baby. News stories of recent maternal deaths here make chilling reading, and do little to assuage natural concerns about childbirth.
TV is major contributor to developing tokophobia. Reality TV and hospital dramas feature storylines with blood-curdling, emotional childbirth emergencies. Often well-written and vivid, they paint a terrifying picture of birth that is not usual for most women. I am a former registered midwife and can’t bear watching them! Â Sadly, this may be all women see of giving birth before having their own baby. ‘Call the Midwife’ offers a better viewpoint of caring midwifery.
About 95% of pregnant women head to Google for fertility, pregnancy and birth information. Overwhelming! Social media sites and blogs sometimes increase fears, rather than provide reassurance.
Terrified of giving birth
Pregnancy and childbirth is often scary due to related fears. One client of mine, terrified of having her own first baby was a consultant obstetrician/ gynaecologist. All she’d experienced was abnormal and emergency deliveries. She worried how she’d ‘perform’ in labour, staff would expect her, as a doctor, to do well. Â ‘All I know is the horror and danger when birth goes wrong.’ She discovered a whole new side to having babies – and went on to have two more natural births!
A common phobia I treat is fear of injections, needles – and blood! Routine blood tests throughout pregnancy are a nightmare for some women.
Knowledge is power!
I find that confident self-assured women often have better births. Self-confidence is key to birthing as nature intended, or dealing with obstetric emergency scenarios. Research from Ohio State University shows that self-confident women feel more in control, are less fearful and believe in their ability to cope. They are more likely to use the birthing skills learnt during pregnancy.
Ante- natal classses prepare women for birth. Questions and fears are discussed and you learn what to expect, see hospital birth rooms and meet new mums on the ward. AÂ birth plan – and continued care from midwives who get to know you – makes a huge difference to the experience. Dads-in-waiting benefit from ante-natal prep to discover their vital support and protection role in the birth process. Ante-natal yoga classes teach breath posture and movement to ease labour pain and discomfort. Women skilled in Yoga for Birth require less pain relief. If going drug-free is not for you Epidural anaesthesia may be the answer.
Score Better Odds
It’s not hard to imagine that a bad birth experience makes a woman up to 5 times more likely to develop tokophobia in her next pregnancy. Prevention is much better than cure.
Mindfulness & Hypnotherapy for Birth allay extreme fear, boost confidence and give back control to women. Coping skills reduce anxiety while feeling supported and understood give reassure.
A happy birth reduces the fear of childbirth for next time around. Once you know what it’s all about – and how you react – a lot of fear evaporates. Proper debriefing after the birth helps new mums understand what’s happened and how they feel about it. Dealing with the effects Post Birth Trauma early on saves women so much misery and misunderstanding.
I believe that no woman should be terrified of giving birth. It’s my pleasure to help eliminate fears and prepare women for a happy birthday.
