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Your support can make a lasting impact. By donating to COPE, you help to provide vital support, resources, and research for families facing perinatal mental health challenges. Together, we can make sure no parent is alone.
Understand when to seek help, how to take the first step of talking to someone, types of support available, plus how to find specialised perinatal mental health support near you.
Tokophobia, or fear of pregnancy and /or childbirth is rare and typically divided into two different types: primary and secondary.
While feeling a certain amount of anxiety around giving birth is normal, for some women, the fear can be far more debilitating. It can even lead to delaying or avoiding pregnancy altogether.
Tokophobia, or fear of pregnancy/childbirth, is rare and typically divided into two different types: primary and secondary.
Primary tokophobia usually develops during childhood or adolescence and refers to a fear of pregnancy/childbirth in those with no first-hand experience of it. It can also be related to sexual abuse.
I have an aversion to seeing childbirth, and a reluctance to talk about it. I’m triggered by just the image of a woman in labour, even if I know it’s staged.
In contrast, secondary tokophobia develops following a traumatic pregnancy or delivery. It can also occur after miscarriage, stillbirth, or termination of pregnancy.
"I’m disgusted by being pregnant and terrified of giving birth. I’ve been pregnant before, more than once, and it felt like being invaded by a destructive alien force."
While research into tokophobia is limited, some studies estimate that it affects between 2.5 to 14 per cent of women. Women who experience tokophobia are more likely to have anxiety, depression or other mental health problems
"Because I’m older, I have so many girlfriends who have had babies and they all told me their stories. Every woman likes to tell their birth story, even if it’s really bad. There is a huge focus on the stuff that goes wrong."
Many women who experience tokophobia will opt for a c-section. However, some find the condition so paralysing they avoid sexual contact completely, will terminate a wanted pregnancy or pursue adoption.
Other consequences of tokophobia can include:
The estimated prevalence of eating disorders during pregnancy is around 7.5%. Feelings of guilt and shame can prevent women seeking help.
Eating disorders in the postnatal period, links to increased risks of anxiety and depression, plus where to find help.
Antenatal depression is the second most common mental health condition that affects up to ten percent of women during pregnancy.
Postnatal depression is a common but debilitating condition that affects one in seven women following the birth of their baby.
It’s important to know that if this information resonates with you, you’re not alone. Help is available.
Many women find that being supported by a multi-disciplinary team, including their GP, midwife or obstetrician, social worker, psychologist and/or psychiatrist can help before or during pregnancy.
This can include discussing a previously traumatic birth experience, receiving information about labour and birth, visiting the maternity ward and meeting with health professionals or connecting with other women also experiencing the same condition.
Find a skilled health professional near you via the COPE Directory
While every birth is different, there are a few things that are useful to keep in mind for preparing for labour.
Recovering from birth can take time. In most cases, giving birth - especially to your first baby - can be physically and emotionally exhausting.
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