The most common fear is fear of childbirth. Generally women have fear of labour pains and this fear intensifies as one approaches the due date. Getting to know about the birthing process helps in easing the fear.
Fear of miscarriage is also common in first time mothers. It is especially prevalent during the first trimester when the fear of pregnancy going wrong is high. Eating right and exercising helps keep you strong and in good spirits.
A fear of loss of figure is also common in some women. It generally occurs in the third trimester. Your size may overwhelm you in the final days; your uncertainty over losing weight post pregnancy will seem very real especially if you had weight issues before becoming pregnant. Your food habits and physical activity can help prevent this fear from controlling you.
There are many pregnant women who are nervous and anxious about their pregnancy and how they will cope with childbirth. Tokophobia is a condition where women have a fear of giving birth and are so scared that they don’t want to go through it. Even if they want to have a baby but they are very scared and stressed about it.
Sometimes tokophobia is common between women who have already had a baby earlier. This is because they might have had traumatic birth earlier which might have not been a pleasant experience for them. Hence they suffer tokophobia in their second pregnancy which is called as secondary tokophobia.
Women who have this fear of giving birth but have no idea of it and have not experienced it earlier are known to be having primary tokophobia. It is not known why women are so scared about giving birth, where some women may find it absolutely natural and common. The primary tokophobia may start from early adolescence or even before the start of the pregnancy.
Hi all several women have a fear of giving birth, but not all suffer from tokophobia. There are symptoms if you suffer from tokophobia like if you have anxiety disorder, if you have extreme gynaecological problems or if you have a fear of childbirth or have had a family history of scary stories.
There are various other symptoms which can tell if you are suffering from tokophobia like, if you have suffered from sexual abuse in your childhood, if you are suffering from depression, if you have had a traumatic birth previously, if you have been a victim of rape or sexual abuse or have strong needs to be in control. All these can be reasons for having tokophobia.
It is important to visit your doctor and tell him about all your fears as early as possible. Thw doctor will suggest you to talk to a therapist or a trained professional health care who will understand you properly and guide you and provide mental support. There are many women who have overcome their fears and have delivered successfully.
It is obvious to get nervous and anxious when you have your due date nearing. You can meet your doctor and discuss about the birth, if you want to have a vaginal birth or a caesarean section. The doctor will talk to you about all the pros and cons of both the births and suggest you which one is good for you and your baby.
There is nothing to be scared of and it is important that you involve your partner in this and tell him about everything. You should not feel embarrassed or shy or guilty about this fact as you are not only the one suffering from this. These fears are not your fault but you can overcome these.