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Postgrad Med J 2003;79:505-510 doi:10.1136/pmj.79.935.505
  • Review

Fear of pregnancy and childbirth

  1. K Hofberg,
  2. M R Ward
  1. South Staffordshire Healthcare NHS Trust, St George’s Hospital, Stafford
  1. Correspondence to:
 Dr Kristina Hofberg, Trust HQ, South Staffordshire Healthcare NHS Trust, St George’s Hospital, Stafford ST16 3AG, UK; 
 Kristina.Hofberg{at}virgin.net
  • Received 19 September 2002
  • Accepted 26 March 2003

Abstract

Pregnancy is a major life event for all women. However, when a psychiatric disorder is added to or exacerbated by the pregnancy then the problem requires expert knowledge from more than one area of medicine. This paper looks at pregnancy and the relationship with depression, eating disorders, and pathological fear of childbirth or tokophobia. It also examines the outcome for these women and their babies. Mental illness is a serious concern. It is now recognised that death from suicide is the leading cause of maternal death overall. Research in these areas is relatively sparse but an attempt is made to collate what is known.

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