If you are in the throes of doing or experiencing something, especially something difficult, you are busy doing it or are deeply involved in it. The country is in the throes of a general election see also death throes. in the throes of sth in the middle of a very difficult situation
If someone is experiencing something very unpleasant or emotionally painful, you can say that they are in the throes of it, especially when it is in its final stages. when the country was going through the final throes of civil war
If a person or animal is in their death throes, they are dying and making violent, uncontrolled movements, usually because they are suffering great pain
severe spasm of pain; "the throes of dying"; "the throes of childbirth" hard or painful trouble or struggle; "a country in the throes of economic collapse