‘Childbirth is unfortunately not a happy experience for everyone’

A new mental health service that will deliver support to people who have suffered birth trauma, loss and or tokophobia – a fear of pregnancy – is in the process of being set up in North Staffordshire. finds out more...

WOMEN who suffer from an extreme fear of pregnancy will receive support from a new NHS service.

Tokophobia is defined as a fear of pregnancy and childbirth that is so overwhelming that it can cause women to postpone or avoid having children altogether.

People who suffer from the condition in Stoke-on-trent and Staffordshire will receive help from a new dedicated Maternal Mental Health Service, which is in the process of being set up.

The service, which will be provided by North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust and Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, will also support people who have suffered trauma or loss during pregnancy.

People who have experienced any of these issues are now being asked to come forward and share their views to help shape the new service.

The National Childbirth Trust says that, while fears associated with pregnancy and childbirth are not uncommon, research has shown that only 13 per cent of women experience a ‘paralysing and terrifying’ fear which is so bad it puts them off having a baby.

Tokophobia can affect anyone, including those who want a baby or are pregnant.

According to the NCT, the condition is more common and intense in women who have never been pregnant (primary tokophobia). But secondary tokophobia can affect women who have had a previous traumatic labour, or a miscarriage, stillbirth, abortion, or even a normal birth.

Heather Johnstone is a former midwife and lead for the maternity transformation programme of Together We’re Better, the health and care partnership for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-trent.

She said: “Childbirth is unfortunately not a happy experience for everyone. We are now planning a new service that will deliver support to mothers, and their partners, who have suffered trauma or loss during pregnancy or birth.

“This can be a really difficult experience to talk about, but learning how this has affected people can help us decide the best ways to deliver this new service.

“It would be especially helpful to hear from people who live in Staffordshire or Stoke-on-trent and consider themselves to have experienced birth trauma, loss and or tokophobia within the last five years. They may not have spoken to someone previously about this and it doesn’t have to have been recorded on their medical records.”

Maternal Mental Health Services are due to be in place across England by 2024.

Stoke-on-trent and Staffordshire residents who would like to help shape the local service are being invited to fill in an online survey, which will be available until midnight on Sunday, November 21. It can be accessed by going to https://www. twbstaffsandstoke.org.uk/get-involved/ maternity-services-transformation