# What to Do When Fear of Childbirth Appears
Bringing a new life into the world is one of the most powerful experiences a woman can have. And yet – or perhaps precisely because of this – many pregnant women experience fear of childbirth at some point during their pregnancy. It is not weakness, it is not an overreaction. It is a natural part of the journey that deserves attention, understanding and proper care.
According to estimates, approximately 10 to 15 percent of pregnant women suffer from significant fear of childbirth, while a considerably larger portion of the population experiences milder forms of anxiety. This is therefore a topic that affects an enormous number of families, and yet it is still talked about far too little. Fear is often dismissed with phrases like "every woman manages" or "women have been giving birth since the beginning of time," which only makes the situation worse. The truth is that fear of childbirth has real causes, real consequences and – which is the good news – real solutions as well.
Try our natural products
What fear of childbirth actually means and where it comes from
Clinically, significant fear of childbirth is referred to as tokophobia, and we distinguish between the primary form, which affects women with no previous experience of childbirth, and the secondary form, which arises as a response to a traumatic previous birth. Both variants are legitimate and both deserve the same degree of empathy and professional help.
However, fear of childbirth does not always take the form of a clinical phobia. Far more often, it is a collection of various fears that gradually layer upon one another. A woman fears pain – and this is entirely understandable, because childbirth does hurt. She fears losing control over her own body, fears what will happen to the baby, fears the hospital environment, strangers, procedures she does not have enough information about. Sometimes she is afraid simply because she does not know what to expect.
The stories women hear from those around them also play a role. Mothers-in-law, friends, neighbours – everyone has their own story from the maternity ward, and it is not always positive. Social media does nothing to ease the situation: among dramatic birth recordings and anecdotes about things that "nearly went wrong," it is difficult to find a calm, balanced perspective. Being overwhelmed with negative information is one of the most common causes of growing anxiety during pregnancy.
Psychological factors cannot be overlooked either. Women who have a generally higher level of anxiety, a tendency towards perfectionism, or a history of past trauma are more susceptible to developing a more intense fear of childbirth. The quality of the relationship with a partner, the degree of social support, and overall satisfaction with the pregnancy also play a role.
Let us consider a specific situation: Jana is a thirty-four-year-old woman expecting her first child. The pregnancy has been complication-free, the baby is healthy, everything looks good. And yet, in her sixth month, Jana stops sleeping. At night she is overcome by thoughts about childbirth – what if she cannot handle the pain, what if the doctors do not listen to her wishes, what if something goes wrong? During the day she avoids conversations about birth, she has stopped following pregnancy forums, but the thoughts keep coming. Jana is not experiencing anything exceptional – she is experiencing what thousands of women before her have experienced, and what thousands of women will experience after her. But that does not mean she should endure it in silence.
Why it is important not to suppress fear
One of the most common responses to fear of childbirth is suppressing it. A woman tells herself she must not be afraid, that she has to manage, that others have managed too. But suppressed fear does not disappear – on the contrary, it grows. And more seriously, it can have a direct impact on the course of the birth itself.
Research shows that a high level of anxiety before childbirth is associated with longer labour duration, higher use of analgesics, and a greater likelihood that a woman will request a caesarean section. The body responds to fear by releasing stress hormones, which can slow uterine contractions and complicate the natural course of labour. In other words, fear of childbirth is not merely a psychological problem – it has physiological consequences.
The UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) explicitly states in its guidelines that the psychological wellbeing of a pregnant woman is just as important as her physical health, and recommends that healthcare professionals actively assess the level of anxiety in their patients. This is an approach that deserves broader application in the Czech context as well.
As midwife and author of books on conscious birth Ina May Gaskin says: "The body is not a machine. It is not separate from the mind and spirit." This sentence may sound like a cliché, but behind it lies a deep understanding of how interconnected our emotions and our physical experience are. Fear literally changes the chemistry of the body, and therefore deserves the same attention as any physical symptom.
Ignored fear can also grow into postnatal trauma or contribute to the development of postnatal depression. Women who experience childbirth as a traumatic event – regardless of whether the birth was "uncomplicated" from a medical standpoint – may have long-term difficulties bonding with their baby, with their relationship, and with their own mental health. And that is precisely why working through fear before childbirth is so essential.
Approaches that genuinely help
The good news is that there are a whole range of approaches that demonstrably help reduce or completely overcome fear of childbirth. The key is finding the right one for each individual woman – because every woman is different and every fear has different roots.
One of the most effective approaches is education and being well-informed. Fear of the unknown is very powerful, and if a woman knows what to expect – what the stages of labour are, what pain relief options are available, how hospital admission works, what happens immediately after birth – many sources of anxiety naturally diminish. Antenatal classes led by experienced midwives are invaluable in this regard. It is not just about the information itself, but also about having a space where a woman can ask questions, share her concerns, and meet other women in similar situations.
Working with the body is also very effective. Techniques such as yoga for pregnant women, breathing exercises, hypnobirthing, or the Lamaze method help women connect with their own body, learn to work with their breath in moments of tension, and build trust in the body's natural capabilities. Hypnobirthing, despite its name sounding exotic, is essentially a technique of deep relaxation and positive visualisation that has very good results abroad and is finding an ever-growing following in the Czech Republic as well.
If fear is intense, long-lasting, or significantly interferes with daily life, it is appropriate to seek professional psychological help. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) has proven particularly effective in working with tokophobia – it helps identify negative thought patterns, challenge them, and replace them with more realistic perspectives. In the Czech Republic, there are psychologists specialising in perinatal care, meaning psychological support during pregnancy and after birth.
The choice of maternity hospital and birth team is also enormously important. A woman who trusts the people who will accompany her during childbirth experiences birth differently from a woman who feels like an anonymous patient in the system. Visiting the maternity hospital before the due date, speaking with a midwife, having the opportunity to draw up a birth plan – all of this contributes to a sense of control and safety. A birth plan is not about a woman wanting to impose her vision at all costs, but about communicating her needs and wishes, thereby reducing the degree of uncertainty.
The presence of a trusted person during birth also plays a major role. Whether it is a partner, a friend, or professional support in the form of a doula, the presence of someone the woman trusts and who knows her has a demonstrably positive effect on the course of labour and on how it is subjectively experienced. Research compiled by the Cochrane organisation shows that continuous support during childbirth reduces the likelihood of caesarean section, shortens the duration of labour, and increases women's satisfaction with the birth experience.
Partners also bear their share of responsibility. A man or partner who actively shares in preparing for birth, attends antenatal classes, and openly talks about concerns – not only those of the woman, but their own as well – creates an environment in which fear can be more easily named and processed. Pregnancy and birth are not the concern of one person alone, and the more preparation is shared, the better.
It is also important to note that caring for psychological wellbeing during pregnancy is not a luxury. It is part of a healthy lifestyle, just like proper nutrition, exercise, or adequate sleep. Just as a woman treats herself to quality nutritional supplements or comfortable clothing made from natural materials, her mind deserves the same care. Investing in mental wellbeing before birth pays off – in the form of a calmer pregnancy, an easier birth, and a happier start to motherhood.
So when a pregnant woman experiences fear of childbirth, it is not a signal for panic or for silence. It is a signal for action – for seeking information, for speaking with a professional, for connecting with one's own body, and for building a network of support. Every woman deserves to experience childbirth as an experience from which she emerges stronger – and the path there leads through fear, not around it.
