Prenatal Psychology
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Alliya Torres
Prenatal Psychology
Brookhaven, PSYC 2314-22201
Prenatal
Environment
Prenatal Environment
The prenatal environment is the surroundings and conditions that influence the development of an infant while in the womb. The main function of the prenatal environment is to protect the fetus, from toxins and stress, but also provide the infant with the nutrition it needs to survive.
Difference between Prenatal Environment and Prenatal Period
Difference between Prenatal Environment and Prenatal Period
The prenatal period is the time frame from conception to birth. The prenatal environment is something that occurs simultaneously during the prenatal period. There are three stages of the prenatal period- germinal, embryonic, and fetal, and within each stage, the prenatal environment should keep the fetus safe until birth.
Prenatal Psychology
Prenatal Psychology
Chamberlain
Chamberlain
Prenatal psychology is the experiences and behaviors an infant encounters before birth and their postnatal consequences. Many parents are “not aware of the evidence for intelligence before birth” (Chamberlain, 415), meaning babies do register that is going outside the womb. It is here that “babies start learning their mother’s tongue” (417), even before their ears are completely formed.
Verny
Verny
Gene * environment interaction is the specific measured variations of DNA and aspects from the environment. These epigenetic changes “may be positive, life-affirming or negative, life-threatening” (Verny, 231). In a study done by the University of Delaware, a group studied how rats would react to being placed with stressed, abusive caregivers. In the study, they found that the maltreated rats had “significantly methylated DNA in the prefrontal cortex…persisting through development and into adulthood” (240).
Schulz
Dutch Hunger Winter
The Dutch Hunger Winter was a famine caused by the Nazis when they cut off the food supply to The Netherlands. Studies have found that “any transient exposure to deprivation or excess affecting the placental development can affect the fetus at later stages” (Schulz). The placenta is what provides the fetus with oxygen and nutrients, as well as removes wastes the fetus produces. Being deprived of nutrients while the fetus is growing, can have long-term effects after the baby is born, but it depends on when the malnutrition begins.
Psychological Interventions to Improve Prenatal Environment
Psychological Intervention
Psychological Intervention that may alter Prenatal Enviroenment
Psychological Intervention
The Calming Womb Family Therapy is a way to treat the mother’s trauma and help prevent the fetus from inheriting any negative reactions if left untreated. By parents partaking in this therapy, it helps “strengthen the bond between mother and baby in utero” (Cortizo,207).
My Supporting Statements
Supporting Statements
As mentioned in Chamberlain’s article, a fetus in utero is able to pick on its mother’s emotions, however many mothers do not know that this. By making this therapy available to more females who would one day want a baby, their babies would be the ones who also benefit from this therapy.
Who is Responsible for the Developement of Pregnancy?
Conclusion
Although the mother is the one who actively is carrying a baby, it should be up to both parents to ensure the baby and mother are being taken care of. The partner not carrying the baby, should help the mother maintain low-stress levels, eat nutritious foods, and avoid drugs and alcohol. Since it takes two to make a child, it is the responsibility of both parents to make sure the baby is given the best chance of survival, but also has a chance to thrive inside and outside the womb.
Psychologist Play in Prenatal Development
Psychologists would also play a big part of the development of prenatal babies. Parents should be made aware of possible outcomes they are not managing their stress, or not dealing with trauma. It is a blurry line if this should be the job of their primary care doctor or OBGYN, however, with more doctors letting them know this information, we might able to help improve a baby's life out there.
Psychologist Play in Prenatal Development
Works Cited
Works Cited
Chamberlain, D. B. (1993, November 4). Pre- and perinatal psychology can transform world - mattes.de. How Pre- and Perinatal Psychology Can Transform the World.
Cortizo. (2019). The Calming Womb Family Therapy Model: Bonding Mother and Baby from Pregnancy Forward. Journal of Prenatal & Perinatal Psychology & Health, 33(3), 207–220.
Schulz, L. C. (2010, September 28). The Dutch Hunger Winter and the developmental origins of health ... - PNAS. PNAS.
Verny, T.R. (2016). Do genes matter? Journal of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Health, 30(4), 227-255.