Is Tokophobia Keeping You From Fulfilling Your Family Goals?

It’s natural to feel some trepidation around pregnancy. Whether you’re expecting or thinking about becoming pregnant, you likely have some level of concern about potential health risks during this period and at the delivery.

But for some, the concern goes beyond low-level fear and into a more extreme condition. This issue is clinically known as tokophobia.

“Tokophobia is an extreme or pathological fear of pregnancy and childbirth,” said Aimee Danielson, a clinical psychologist and director of the women’s mental health program at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. “It’s also called a fear of birth or FOB, though I prefer tokophobia because many patients I’ve seen fear pregnancy more so than the childbirth experience. It’s common to think of it as fear of birthing, but for some it includes a pronounced fear of pregnancy itself.”

Below, experts break down the symptoms, causes and ways to cope:

What’s the difference between tokophobia and general worry about childbirth?

Although it’s common to feel some level of worry around the pregnancy or birthing experience, tokophobia goes beyond these typical anxieties.

“The fears a person may experience can persist longer than six months and can cause people to feel overwhelmed, resulting in sometimes extreme efforts to avoid pregnancy or childbirth,” said Dr. Javine McLaughlin, an OB-GYN and senior director or clinical solutions at Carrot Fertility. “Tokophobia can severely impair a person’s ability to function in their work or social lives.”

The term tokophobia first appeared in medical literature in 2000, but experts were aware of the condition long before the 21st century.

“There are records of it, albeit under other names, in medical journals as early as 1897,” noted Jill