Why It Matters If Health Professionals Integrated the Findings of Prenatal Sciences In Their Practice?
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THE BENEFITS
The Benefits of integrating the findings of Prenatal Sciences in a health professional’s practice are several. Among them, we list the following:
- Improved ability to detect and address potential health issues in the prenatal period, related with the symptoms and behaviors in the present moment.
- Enhanced understanding of how the prenatal environment can impact a child’s physical and emotional development and how it continues to affect this human as an adult.
- Better ability to educate and support expecting parents in creating a healthy and nurturing prenatal environment for their baby.
- Increased ability to identify and address psychological stressors in expecting parents that may affect their child’s development.
- Improved ability to support parents in developing healthy bonding and attachment relationships with their baby both prenatally and after birth.
- Increased ability to identify and address potential mental health issues in expecting parents that may impact their child’s development.
- Improved ability to provide anticipatory guidance for parents regarding their child’s development in the postnatal period based on prenatal factors.
- Enhanced ability to collaborate with other healthcare professionals, such as medicals, psychologists, social workers, … to provide comprehensive care to expecting parents and their babies or adult patients with unresolved primal trauma.
THEIR WORK IS DIFFERENT
The work of a health professional who has integrated the findings of prenatal sciences and prenatal psychology into their practice may differ from the work of health practitioners who have not in the following ways:
- They may place a greater emphasis on the importance of the prenatal environment and its impact on child/ human development, and may prioritize interventions aimed at improving the prenatal environment.
- They may be more likely to screen for and address prenatal psychological stressors and mental health issues in expecting parents, children or adults and may provide more targeted support in these areas.
- They may be more likely to provide anticipatory guidance to expecting parents based on prenatal factors, and to tailor their recommendations and interventions accordingly.
- They may collaborate more closely with other healthcare professionals, such as obstetricians, psychologists, and social workers, to provide a more comprehensive approach to care for expecting parents and their babies or after birth collaborate with them to support health reduced due to primal trauma.
- They may be more likely to incorporate approaches such as prenatal bonding and attachment programs into their practice.
- They may have a greater understanding of the potential long-term impact of prenatal factors on child/human development, and may be more likely to consider these factors when working with children and families in the postnatal period.
Overall, a health professional who has integrated the findings of prenatal sciences and prenatal psychology into their practice may be better equipped to provide a holistic approach to care for expecting parents and their babies, and may have a greater understanding of the complex interplay between prenatal factors, child development, and long-term outcomes.
THE CHANGES
A health professional who has integrated the findings of prenatal sciences and prenatal psychology into their practice may make the following changes to accommodate this new understanding:
- They may update their assessment tools and protocols to include a greater focus on prenatal factors and psychological stressors in expecting parents or the ones at play in the life of the child or adult they work with.
- They may adjust their intake and screening processes to identify and address potential mental health issues in expecting parents, and to provide support and resources as needed.
- They may incorporate prenatal bonding and attachment programs into their practice to support expecting parents in developing healthy and secure relationships with their baby before birth.
- They may provide education and guidance to expecting parents on the importance of the prenatal environment and its impact on child development, and may provide specific recommendations and resources to support a healthy prenatal environment.
- They may collaborate more closely with other healthcare professionals, such as obstetricians, psychologists, and social workers, to provide a more comprehensive approach to care for expecting parents and their babies.
- They may adjust their counseling and therapeutic approaches to be more sensitive to the unique needs and experiences of expecting parents, and to address the potential impact of prenatal factors on psychological well-being.
- They may provide anticipatory guidance to expecting parents based on prenatal factors, and may tailor their recommendations and interventions accordingly.
- They may incorporate research-based interventions and strategies for addressing potential long-term effects of prenatal factors on child/ human development.
Overall, a health professional who has integrated the findings of prenatal sciences and prenatal psychology into their practice may adapt their approach to care to be more holistic, collaborative, and focused on addressing the unique needs and experiences of expecting parents and their babies.
If a health professional understood that an unborn child is a sentient being, meaning that the child is capable of feeling sensations and emotions in the womb, their practice may be different in the following ways:
- They may place a greater emphasis on the importance of the prenatal environment and its impact on the unborn child’s physical and emotional development.
- They may be more attuned to the unborn child’s potential sensory experiences and may take steps to minimize potentially stressful or painful experiences for the child in utero.
- They may prioritize interventions aimed at promoting the unborn child’s physical and emotional well-being, such as providing resources and education to expecting parents on the benefits of a healthy prenatal diet and lifestyle.
- They may be more likely to advocate for the unborn child’s rights and needs in healthcare decision-making, such as in cases where medical interventions may pose risks to the unborn child’s well-being.
- They may provide education and support to expecting parents on the importance of nurturing a positive and loving relationship with their unborn child before birth, potentially incorporating interventions such as prenatal bonding and attachment techniques.
- They may consider the unborn child’s potential sensory experiences in the design of healthcare environments and support processes, such as by providing soothing music or minimizing bright lights or loud noises during medical procedures.
- They may prioritize communication and collaboration with the unborn child’s parents or guardians in healthcare decision-making, taking into account the potential impact of interventions on the unborn child’s well-being.
Overall, a health professional who understands that an unborn child is a sentient being may take a more proactive and compassionate approach to care, focused on promoting the unborn child’s well-being and respecting their unique needs and experiences in the prenatal period.
- Improved health outcomes: The integration of prenatal sciences into healthcare can lead to better health outcomes for all people as they experience the impact of the early pre/ perinatal trauma in their whole life. By focusing on the importance of the prenatal environment and the impact of prenatal factors on human development, healthcare professionals can provide more targeted and effective interventions to support the health and well-being of both the mother and the unborn child.
- Reduced healthcare costs: By promoting primal health, healthy prenatal development, healthcare professionals can help to prevent health complications and reduce the need for costly medical interventions later on. This can lead to significant cost savings for both the individual client and society as a whole.
- Enhanced family relationships: The integration of prenatal sciences into healthcare can promote a stronger bond between the mother and the unborn child, as well as between the parents and the unborn child. This can have a positive impact on the family dynamic and can promote healthy family relationships. Consequently, this will become the template for all later on relationships with other humans or cosmos.
- Improved social outcomes: By promoting healthy prenatal development and supporting the health and well-being of the unborn child, healthcare professionals can contribute to improving social outcomes, such as reducing rates of infant mortality and improving educational and developmental outcomes for children, peaceful collaboration among humans, respectful behaviors related to the environment.
- Greater peace of mind: By providing education, support, and resources related to primal health and development, healthcare professionals can help to alleviate anxiety and stress for expecting parents and then alleviate anxiety and stress or other mental conditions or other behaviors transmitted epigenetically to the offspring and future generations. This can lead to greater peace of mind for both the parents and the unborn child, and can contribute to a better quality of life for present and future generations.
Overall, the integration of prenatal sciences into healthcare practice can have far-reaching positive impacts on individuals, families, and society as a whole, leading to improved health outcomes, reduced healthcare costs, enhanced family relationships, improved social outcomes, and greater peace of mind.
HEALTH PROFESSIONALS MATTER
Health professionals are individuals who are trained and qualified to provide healthcare services to patients. They play a crucial role in promoting and maintaining the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities. Here are some reasons why health professionals matter:
- Expertise: Health professionals are trained and qualified to provide evidence-based care to their patients. They have the knowledge and skills necessary to diagnose and treat a wide range of health conditions and to promote health advancement measures.
- Access: Health professionals provide access to essential healthcare services that are necessary for maintaining good health. They help to ensure that individuals have access to the care they need, regardless of their age, income, or health status.
- Advocacy: Health professionals are often advocates for their patients, working to ensure that their patients receive the best possible care and treatment. They may also work to improve public health policies and advocate for changes in the healthcare system that benefit their patients and communities.
- Education: Health professionals play a crucial role in educating their patients about health and wellness. They provide information and guidance on how to manage health conditions and promote healthy lifestyle choices.
- Research: Health professionals also play an important role in conducting research to improve our understanding of health and disease. They may work to develop new treatments, improve existing treatments, or identify ways to prevent or reduce the impact of health conditions and maximize health and quality of life.
Overall, health professionals are essential to the healthcare system and to the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities. They provide expertise, access to healthcare services, advocacy, education, and research that are critical for promoting good health and preventing disease.
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- Swain JE, Ho SS. Prenatal and Postnatal Care. In: Cognitive and Behavioral Interventions in the Schools. Springer US; 2021:401-416. doi: 10.1007/978-0-387-09794-0_19.
- Sánchez A, Hernández A. The importance of fetal awareness for a new paradigm in obstetrics. Int J Gynecol Obstet. 2018;141(S3):3-7. doi: 10.1002/ijgo.12631.
- World Health Organization. The global burden of disease: 2004 update. World Health Organization; 2008. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/43942.
- Greenberg MT, Weissberg RP, O’Brien MU, Zins JE, Fredericks L, Resnik H. Enhancing school-based prevention and youth development through coordinated social, emotional, and academic learning. Am Psychol. 2003;58(6-7):466-474. doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.58.6-7.466.
… MORE TO REFLECT ON
BY ANTONELLA SANSONE
At a time in history when statistics of perinatal mental illness and infant developmental problems are soaring, and evidence of their life-long and intergenerational health effects is revealed, we must all work together, with synergistic empathy and compassion, to ensure every mother and father gets appropriate and timely care to optimize their health and mammalian caregiving competence. We need to look at the protective function of the prenatal multi-facets and multilayers relationship and the importance of supporting this earliest relationship prior to birth, since it has an impact on the welfare of our society and economy. It is time for a new awareness that the prenatal and perinatal stages are the most crucial in human life and form a continuum; that the unborn child is a sentient being, who needs emotional care as much as he does healthy nutrients, to be able to thrive and become a positive contributor to the wellbeing of society and the planet. He/she is sensitive and responsive to maternal emotions, thoughts, consciousness, stress, soul, and the surrounding physical and social environment, including the birth scenario. The unborn baby is already a psychological and social partner to his/her parents, and through them, to society. Therefore, Health Science needs to include the prenatal period and the relevance of prenatal development, health and wellbeing in the study of human health.
It follows that all healthcare, not just prenatal and perinatal, trainees will benefit from integrating their knowledge with the awareness of the unborn baby as a conscious sentient being. Most of the unhappy stories heard from moms-to-be and new moms reflect failure of compassion on the part of the medical and other healthcare personnel. The changing culture of medicine is becoming increasingly hyper-specialized, responsive to the imperative of business and technology, and less sensitive to the subjective reality of mother and baby. Lack of compassion may have medical consequences on pregnancy and birth outcomes, simply because mothers have evolved to receive empathic support. Receiving caring empathic interactions directly affects one’s psychobiology and predisposes them to be empathic to themselves and others. This occurs by conveying emotional-physiological experiences to each other. Awareness of the unborn baby as sensitive and responsive to the mother’s mental state can motivate health caregivers to use a more humane compassionate approach to pregnant mothers, in order to protect maternal mental health and thus the earliest prenatal relationship and human development. This is because the way we behave towards others “creates states of mind in others”, since there is a reciprocal influence, a back-and-forth flow of energy and openness between the “self” and “other”.
There are also important clinical implications for prenatal and perinatal practitioners providing support programs to pregnant mothers/parents in community and clinical populations from the understanding of the unborn baby as a sentient being. This awareness can expand the focus of health science curriculums and research to include consideration of the prenatal period as foundation of health. Likewise, it can expand the focus of prenatal and perinatal healthcare practitioners to include consideration of the mother-preborn bonding relationship and maternal mindfulness abilities to support later maternal-infant relationship and infant development. Consideration of the unborn sentient being and thus maternal/paternal-preborn attachment relationship may help identify those at risk of later maternal-infant relationship difficulties. Parents may be supported to engage in sensory-reflective activities promoting the preborn interactions and thus preparing for a secure attachment relationship, which is the foundation of future relationships with other humans, the world and all elements of Nature.