Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Case Reports
. 2022 Jan 13;15(1):e246568.
doi: 10.1136/bcr-2021-246568.

Pregnancy-related claustrophobia

Nessa Keane  1 , Amy Farrell  1 , Brian Hallahan  2   3
Affiliations
Case Reports

Pregnancy-related claustrophobia

Nessa Keane et al. BMJ Case Rep. .

Abstract

A 35-year-old primigravida presented with significant anxiety symptoms at 26 weeks' gestation. Symptoms were preceded by a nightmare about her upcoming labour. She developed repetitive intrusive thoughts of being trapped emotionally and physically in her pregnancy. Her symptoms were suggestive of new-onset claustrophobia associated with pregnancy, which has not been previously reported on. Her symptoms ameliorated with a combination of cognitive-behavioural therapy and pharmacotherapy (sertraline and low dose quetiapine). The later stages of pregnancy were associated with minimal symptoms and the resolution of her subjective 'entrapment'. A subsequent pregnancy resulted in similar although less severe symptomatology. No postpartum anxiety symptoms were demonstrated on both occasions. Anxiety symptoms can adversely impact both the mother and fetus, and thus correct identification and management of pregnancy-related claustrophobia improved symptomatology and functioning and allowed for earlier detection and reduced symptomatology in a subsequent pregnancy.

Keywords: anxiety disorders (including OCD and PTSD); cognitive–behavioural psychotherapy.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None declared.

References

    1. Li SH, Graham BM. Why are women so vulnerable to anxiety, trauma-related and stress-related disorders? The potential role of sex hormones. Lancet Psychiatry 2017;4:73–82. 10.1016/S2215-0366(16)30358-3 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Goodman JH, Chenausky KL, Freeman MP. Anxiety disorders during pregnancy: a systematic review. J Clin Psychiatry 2014;75:1153–84. 10.4088/JCP.14r09035 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Nath S, Busuulwa P, Ryan EG, et al. . The characteristics and prevalence of phobias in pregnancy. Midwifery 2020;82:102590. 10.1016/j.midw.2019.102590 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Vesga-López O, Blanco C, Keyes K, et al. . Psychiatric disorders in pregnant and postpartum women in the United States. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2008;65:805–15. 10.1001/archpsyc.65.7.805 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Searing K, Baukus M, Stark MA, et al. . Needle phobia during pregnancy. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs 2006;35:592–8. 10.1111/j.1552-6909.2006.00076.x - DOI - PubMed

Publication types