Diagnostic classification of fear of childbirth: why specific phobia may not be enough

Fear of childbirth (FoB) is a common experience during pregnancy which can cause clinically significant distress and impairment. To date, a number of investigations of FoB have assumed that clinically significant FoB is best understood as a type of specific phobia. However, preliminary evidence suggests that specific phobia may not be the only diagnostic category under which clinically significant symptoms of FoB are best described.

The current study is the first to investigate which DSM-5 diagnostic categories best describe clinically significant symptoms of FoB.

Pregnant people reporting high levels of FoB (n=18) were administered diagnostic interviews related to their experience of FoB.

Participants (n=18) were predominantly nulliparous (73.3%), cisgender women (83.3%). Of these, 14 (77.8%) met criteria for one or more DSM-5 anxiety-related disorders. Preliminary findings suggest that primary FoB may align with specific phobia criteria, whereas secondary FoB (following a traumatic birth) may be better classified under post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). FoB also featured in other anxiety-related disorders but was not the primary focus (e.g. obsessive-compulsive disorder). Four participants did not meet criteria for any DSM-5 disorder.

Findings provide preliminary evidence that clinically significant FoB fits within existing DSM-5 categories, in particular specific phobia and PTSD. Although FoB-related concerns appears in other anxiety-related disorder categories, it does not appear as the primary focus. Although informative, due to the small sample employed in this research, replication in larger and more diverse samples is needed.