It would be unrealistic not to experience it. Because childbirth in the United States has been institutionalized into acute care hospitals, we have a particular style of birth that does not emphasize a woman's control. This doesn't suggest to them that you can trust your body to do this. Kristi Ridd-Young, of Alpine, Utah.
Doulas are women trained to offer emotional support to mothers during childbirth.
Ridd-Young is administrative director of Doulas of North America, the certifying body for doulas. To understand why some women fear birth more than others, Lowe analyzed information on 280 women during the third trimester of their first pregnancy. She focused on 52 women with the most fear and 49 others with the least fear. Too much fear can spell trouble in the delivery room, says Lowe. But probably a small minority of women have an unusual fear of childbirth.