Fear of death during labour

Abstract

The expression of fear of death during labour is common when the physiological processes are obviously efficient and when the perinatal period is considered, in retrospect, to have been a positive experience. We propose two kinds of interpretation: (1) One is not specifically human. A physiological fear is the expression of a rush of adrenaline just before the "fetus ejection reflex." The paradoxical oxytocic effect of adrenaline was demonstrated several decades ago. (2) One is specifically human. It takes into account our knowledge of death and the reduction of neocortical control during labour.