They say that fear is free and that each person fears certain situations. Fear in itself is not something negative, except when it becomes something irrational and excessive and the possible danger is magnified. It is then when we talk about phobia or phobic disorder and that occurs in the case of parturiphobia or fear of childbirth. This fear, which in principle is logical and normal, acquires worrying dimensions that we tell you about in our dictionary.
What is parturiphobia?
Parturiphobia is the fear of childbirth, at the time of giving birth. Sometimes it is the same disorder tocophobia, although the latter also covers the period of pregnancy, not only that final moment of delivery. In any case, it is a disorder that must be treated in time to avoid dangerous consequences for both the mother and the baby.
Being afraid at the time of childbirth is something quite logical and natural. Even if you have never gone through that experience, it is clear that it is a shocking and very stressful situation for the whole body on a physical and mental level. Fortunately, today the risks of giving are anecdotal, but that does not reduce the level of impact it causes on the mother.
Types of parturiphobia
What makes the usual fear of childbirth a phobia? The difference is mainly in the symptoms. When the time to give birth approaches, it is normal to get nervous and have a certain fear. We all want it to go well and we all know that something can get complicated. But if all the symptoms of anxiety appear, it is because that natural fear has already become a problem.
In the case of parturiphobia, it is common to have obsessive thoughts that do not leave you day or night in which you imagine the worst possible scenarios. And this not only happens tone, but it is more common even in women who have already been mothers and have had complicated deliveries.
Hence, two types of parturiphobia are distinguished:
In primary parturiphobia, a fear of the concept of motherhood is observed, the fear of not being up to the task or of feeling overwhelmed by circumstances. Many people talk about postpartum depression, but there is also prenatal depression.
Secondary parturiphobia is experienced by those women who have gone through a difficult delivery and who have come to believe that either they or the baby would die. Logically this experience can make them not want to go through that situation again. In some cases, these women do not become pregnant again out of fear.
But in other cases, their desire to be a mother prevails and then they suffer the consequences of that contradiction between wanting to have a baby and trying to avoid the moment of childbirth. A moment that logically cannot be avoided in any way.
Treatment of parturiphobia
It is difficult to treat parturiphobia in a woman who is already pregnant; it is easier when it is treated before making the decision. In any case, overcoming this phobia goes through psychological therapy such as cognitive behavioral therapy, which helps to eliminate or reduce fears.
And it is always advisable to visit extra obstetricians, midwives and other health personnel to calm the anxiety of that woman with parturiphobia. Planned section may also be considered in some cases where it is not possible to overcome this phobia before the time of delivery.