Tocophobia: A terrible fear of becoming pregnant
Some think that being a mother is every woman's dream, but the reality is that for some it is a nightmare, and this is called tocophobia. It seems that this natural process does not scare us, but tocophobia is a problem that affects 14% of women in the world.
Phobias are usually not understandable for those who do not suffer from them, but they turn out to be a big problem for those who live with them. In this case, pregnancy involves a process that represents great risks and challenges, and it is very understandable that it causes fear.
Tocophobia is a conflict that is not very well known, but it is more frequent than one might believe. Here you will see everything you need to know about this problem and how to deal with it if you experience it, or someone close to you experiences it.
Let's clearly define tocophobia
It can be defined as a terrible fear of being pregnant or giving birth, whoever suffers from it finds it irritating to even talk about it. There is no dislike or fear of babies, it is the process of pregnancy and the moment of delivery that causes fear.
This disorder is not just limited to women who have never given birth, but also affects those who have experienced complicated childbirth. The fear that it generates in them is of such magnitude that they even avoid being near pregnant women.
All women experience some fear regarding childbirth and the pregnancy process, but whoever suffers from tocophobia presents a degree of fear and anxiety that goes beyond the usual levels that any woman would have.
You can come to think that this problem does not represent a great risk and that when the time comes, the fear will disappear. But the truth is that tocophobia can cause very tragic situations for those who suffer from it.
What causes tocophobia?
There are certain aspects that are the central foci of fear of pregnancy and childbirth, some of which are experienced by first- time mothers. Being in a state of uncertainty, surrounded by both positive and negative comments, doubts emerge, and with them phobia.
In other cases, the fears are related to bad experiences in some process of childbirth already experienced. However, before the two scenarios, the most common factors of tocophobia are the following:
Fear of pain : It is well known that the process of giving birth is quite painful, this is one of the main sources of fear.
Fear of responsibility : Motherhood is not easy and the gestation process is delicate, so many are terrified of assuming the role of mother.
Fear of diseases : The fact that the baby may be born with a disability, deformity or pathology is a source of fear for some women.
Fear of body transformation : Clearly, the body undergoes a series of changes when pregnant, some women are terrified of losing their figure.
Fear of loss : Those who have suffered a miscarriage may tend to suffer from the phobia because they do not want the bad experience to be repeated.
Fear of trauma : In this aspect we focus on the trauma caused by sexual abuse, which leads to a total rejection of pregnancy or childbirth.
The points mentioned above cover most of the sources of fear for new women, in the case of those who are already mothers, their fears are based on other aspects. Just as many fear suffering malpractice.
When you have experienced a traumatic birth, some episodes and memories are difficult to forget and create great fear. They also fear that they will die in labor, if they give birth again, or that they will tear themselves apart.
Both the birth process and the recovery process can become enough motivation for a woman to develop tocophobia.
How does someone who suffers from tocophobia behave?
Some of the symptoms of those who suffer from this disorder are quite simple, very similar to any other phobia, including anxiety, tremor and nervousness. But if you want to identify the affected person, see if these characteristics are in their behavior:
Avoid any conversation that has to do with pregnancy or the process of giving birth.
If someone brings up the subject, she feels nervous and uneasy, and chooses to leave.
He does not approach any woman who is pregnant.
It is expressed with words of rejection towards pregnancy and childbirth.
Use contraceptive methods strictly.
Consequences of tocophobia if left untreated
This conflict can produce from problems in the sentimental field, to very tragic outcomes. Some of the most frequent problems that tocophobia causes are the following.
Conflicts in intimate life
Women with this phobia are very strict regarding the application of contraceptive methods. What leads them to demand more protection from their partner, and to have certain restrictions that prevent them from enjoying a full sexual life, and this causes differences.
depressive pictures
If you become pregnant, both fear and rejection will cause the mother to experience severe depression throughout the pregnancy process. And this is quite harmful for both the mother and the unborn child.
Abortion
The degree of fear can be so great that even many women prefer to have an abortion than to suffer the pregnancy process and give birth. But in this case, the action is not motivated by cruel reasons for life, but by the immense fear they suffer.
sentimental conflicts
Tocophobia is one of the factors that can cause romantic separations. If the man does not understand the truth of this phobia, he may misunderstand his partner's rejection of the idea of having children and becoming pregnant.
Many men think that the refusal of pregnancy is motivated by other factors and do not conceive this phobia as real, which leads them to abandon women who suffer from it, with the idea that they simply do not want to have children.
Can tocophobia be overcome?
Fortunately, if there are ways to treat this problem and it can be successfully overcome, if the sufferer is willing to face it. The specialists in charge of this matter are known as perinatal psychologists.
To treat the problem, different therapies are carried out that help to find the origin of the fear and thus be able to overcome the panic it causes. Meditation and breathing exercises are also learned that are useful when anxiety episodes arrive.
The specialists are in charge of teaching how to build the psychological, physical and emotional confidence that is required to be able to face fear and assume this stage of life with the necessary maturity and courage.