Tokophobia: a hidden fear with serious consequences – a challenge for psychiatry and obstetrics
Authors:
Daniela Kestlerová 1; Kateřina Ratislavová 2; Vladimír Korečko 3
Authors‘ workplace:
Psychiatrická klinika FN Plzeň
1; Fakulta zdravotnických studií ZČU, Katedra ošetřovatelství a porodní asistence, Plzeň
2; Gynekologicko-porodnická klinika FN Plzeň
3
Published in:
Čes. a slov. Psychiat., 121, 2025, No. 5, pp. 239-240.
Category:
Letters to the Editor
Overview
Tokophobia, defined as a pathological fear of childbirth, represents a serious yet often overlooked mental health disorder during the perinatal period. Despite its high prevalence (affecting up to 22% of pregnant women), it frequently remains undiagnosed or is mistaken for common childbirth-related anxiety. This letter highlights the importance of early screening, healthcare staff education, and interdisciplinary collaboration in the care of women with tokophobia. We present a pilot project entitled “Tokophobia Screening,” conducted in collaboration between the University of West Bohemia and the University Hospital Pilsen, aimed at validating a tool for the early detection of primary tokophobia during pregnancy.
Keywords:
fear of childbirth – screening – pregnancy – tokophobia – perinatal anxiety
Sources
1. O’Connell MA, O’Neill SM, Dempsey E et al. Interventions for fear of childbirth (tocophobia). Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2021; 2021 (12): CD013321. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD013321.
2. O’Connell MA, Leahy-Warren P, Khashan AS et al. Worldwide prevalence of tocophobia in pregnant women: systematic review and meta-analysis. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 2017; 96 (8): 907–920. doi: 10.1111/aogs.13138.
3. Demšar K, Svetina M, Verdenik I et al. Tokophobia (fear of childbirth): prevalence and risk factors. J Perinat Med 2018; 46 (2): 151–154. doi: 10.1515/jpm-2016-0282.
4. Dencker A, Nilsson C, Begley C et al. Causes and outcomes in studies of fear of childbirth: a systematic review. Women Birth 2019; 32 (2): 99–111. doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2018.07.004.
5. Konieczna E, Hofmann M, Domaszewska K. Cognitive behavioral therapy techniques in the treatment of tokophobia – a literature review. Fam Med Prim Care Rev 2024; 26 (2): 261–266. doi: 10.5114/fmpcr.2024.139039.
Labels
Addictology Paediatric psychiatry PsychiatryArticle was published in
Czech and Slovak Psychiatry
2025 Issue 5
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