Tocophobia and Women's Desire for a Caesarean Section: a Systematic Review

Introduction:The rate of cesarean sections has been continuously increasing in most industrialized countries in recent years. It has been observed that the rate of cesarean sections has increased in the last thirty years and is now between 0.4 and 65%. A significant percentage of women, ranging from 1-20%, request a caesarean section without a medical indication. Aim:The aim of this study is to systematically review the available international literature concerning the phenomenon of tocophobia leading to woman`s desire for a caesarean section. Methods: The methodology followed, included an advanced search in various scientific databases and retrieval of the relevant quantitative studies. Results:We found a total of seven papers, all in English, which examined the correlation between tocophobia and women's desire for a caesarean section. Conclusions:One of the primary reasons behind women's desire to give birth through a caesarean delivery is the pathological fear associated with the labor process, known under the scientific term "tocophobia". According to the findings of this review, the prevalence of tocophobia ranged between 7-25% among primiparous women and 7.7-16.25% among multiparous ones. Approximately 7-18.6% of women with tocophobia asked for an elective cesarean section without any medical indication. Clinical treatment of tocophobia is required when the condition has a negative impact on the pregnant woman's quality of life and her bond with the embryo, as well as when it affects her decision regarding the method of childbirth.