Hypnotherapy: The salutogenic solution to dealing with phobias

Abstract

Evidence suggests that around a quarter of women can suffer from an intense fear of giving birth (tocophobia). This can be costly to these women in terms of enduring negative effects of the increased use of medical interventions associated with tocophobia. Other phobias, such as white coat hypertension, can also be problematic in pregnancy. This article describes the establishment of a hypnotherapy service within the antenatal day assessment unit at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust and recounts a recent case study in which the use of hypnotherapy was employed to help Rebecca, a white coat hypertension sufferer, to successfully manage her condition.