The Field of Research and Practice in Relation to the Psychological Dimension of Pregnancy and Birth

Abstract

In early Psychoanalysis was discovered that preverbal experiences during and before birth are meaningful and can influence later experience in a hidden way. Especially in Humanistic Psychology these observation were elaborated. This paper gives an overview of pre- and perinatal perspectives to different observations practical fields and fields of the humanities. It aims to demonstrate the many fields to which Prenatal Psychology can provide valuable resources. Among them, I would like to emphasize the great practical significance it holds for the field of obstetrics, the health sciences, psychotherapy and the humanities. The challenge of Prenatal Psychology is its trans-disciplinary character. It integrates different levels of quantitative and qualitative levels of observation. So far, research has been mostly conducted by individuals or in the framework of small interdisciplinary groups such as the International Society for Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Medicine (ISPPM) in Europe and the Association for Prenatal Psychology and Health (APPPAH) in North America. However, the great theoretical and practical significance requires increased social awareness and action.