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Chapter 4 - Childbirth-related fear, tokophobia, and cognitive behavioral therapy
Book chapter

Chapter 4 - Childbirth-related fear, tokophobia, and cognitive behavioral therapy

Colin R. Martin, Catriona Jones, Claire Marshall and Julie Jomeen
Handbook of Lifespan Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Childhood, Adolescence, Pregnancy, Adulthood, and Aging, pp.41-51
Academic Press
2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-85757-4.00043-2

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Abstract

Fear of childbirth (FoC) and tokophobia are distressing mental health phenomenon that are rooted in anxiety and have a consequential deleterious impact on the woman’s quality of life and sense of well-being. Relatively contemporary within the perinatal mental health literature, this under-researched area of perinatal mental health is not only associated with significantly elevated levels of anxiety, but also influences behavior in a manner that limits a number of life choices, for example, the choice to become pregnant. Interventions based on cognitive behavioral approaches can be very effective in treating mild to severe FoC; however, accurate screening for the presentation is problematic due to issues in the screening efficacy of the existing battery of measures used in clinical practice. Given that screening is critical to care pathways and ultimately treatment intervention, the development of new and accurate screening tools is essential to optimize care.

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