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4 - Specific Phobias Affecting Pregnancy and the Postnatal Period

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 October 2022

Fiona Challacombe
Affiliation:
King's College London
Catherine Green
Affiliation:
South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust
Victoria Bream
Affiliation:
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
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Summary

Phobias, strong fears related to particular situations, are the most common anxiety problems. People often find a way to live with them in normal life, often by avoiding situations that trigger the fear. Pregnancy and the postnatal period makes this very difficult in the case of two particular phobias, fear of blood, injections and injury (BII) , and fear of vomiting. These situations are impossible to avoid completely at this time and can therefore be very distressing. Fear of vomiting is often related to early memories of this, and keeps going in the present by avoidance and taking particular precautions that keep the anxiety going. This chapter will help you understand and work through these factors to tackle your fears. BII is unique in triggering a fainting response and probably has a large genetic component rather than being learned. We describe proven techniques to apply during exposure exercises to counteract the fainting response triggered in BII, which are known to have a long-lasting effect. Getting on top of these fears will help you manage and enjoy pregnancy and the postnatal year.

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Chapter
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Break Free from Maternal Anxiety
A Self-Help Guide for Pregnancy, Birth and the First Postnatal Year
, pp. 92 - 115
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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