Reproductive Anxiety Disorder Is Real

In this groundbreaking episode of Tik-Tokophobia, Alexia and JJ introduce a term you’ve probably never heard before — Reproductive Anxiety Disorder (RAD).

Going far beyond the usual discussions of tokophobia, this episode digs deep into the world of persistent, visceral anxiety around anything related to reproduction.

Alexia and JJ shine a fierce light on why so many women’s experiences are mislabelled, misunderstood, or flat-out ignored — and why having the right language matters.

If you’ve ever felt a hidden panic about pregnancy, birth, or even just being around babies, this episode will help you realise: you are not broken, just unheard — until now.

Key Discussion Points:

• Why “Reproductive Anxiety Disorder”?
  – What RAD is, why it needed a name, and how it’s different from a simple “phobia” of birth.

• Not Just in Your Head:
  – RAD is a full nervous system experience, not just a matter of “thinking differently” about pregnancy or birth.
  – How anxiety around reproduction shows up physically and shapes behaviour — from avoidance all the way to relationship breakdowns.

• The Cost of Misunderstanding and Dismissal:
  – How the lack of language and awareness among health professionals leaves women unsupported.
  – The ripple effects on mental health, fertility journeys, and identity when these fears go unrecognised.

• Trauma Roots and The Life Spectrum:
  – Why trauma isn’t always about birth itself — puberty, menopause, and even our own birth stories can plant seeds of reproductive anxiety.
  – What avoidance looks like in daily life and how it’s often the giveaway.

• Tokophobia vs. RAD:
  – The difference between classic tokophobia and the deeper anxiety profile of RAD.
  – How other conditions like OCD and generalised anxiety can be tangled up with reproductive fears, and why addressing tokophobia can cut through layers of other symptoms.

• Why Naming It Changes Everything:
  – The power of moving RAD “out of the unconscious and into the conscious,” so you can start to heal.
  – The urgent need for research, better care, and new questioning from both professionals and those living with this invisible weight.

• The Path to Healing:
  – Why this kind of anxiety can be healed — and what hope and possibility look like, even if you feel unsure where to start.
  – A call to action for listeners, partners, professionals, and researchers to recognise and respond to RAD.

Who is this episode for?

• Women (and those assigned female at birth) who feel an intense, unexplained dread or avoidance about anything related to pregnancy, childbirth, family planning, or even being around babies and children.

• Anyone who’s ever been told “it’s just fear” or “you’ll get over it” — and is sick of not being understood or supported.

• Those struggling with reproductive decision-making, unexplained infertility, or years of quiet panic around their body’s milestones (puberty, periods, menopause).

• Listeners searching for language, validation, and a roadmap to finally start understanding (and healing) what’s been holding them back.

• Birth professionals, therapists, and anyone interested in women’s health who want to truly “see” and support people experiencing reproductive/birth anxiety.

What might they be looking for?
Hope, clarity, a sense of belonging, and practical avenues to start healing. Most of all: real language, understanding, and evidence that anxiety around reproduction is real, valid, and possible to move beyond.

WANT TO GO DEEPER?
For resources, the white paper “The Case for Reproductive Anxiety Disorder,” and trauma-aware storytelling guidelines, visit fearlessbirthing.com or tiktokphobia.com.

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If this sounds like your hidden story or someone you care about, this episode will finally give you a language — and a path forward.