1. Psychological Changes of Pregnancy
Reynel Dan L. Galicinao
Mother’s Reactions
 Initial reaction may run the gamut of emotions
 May be surprised, pleased, disturbed, disappointed, frightened
 There is element of surprise in every pregnancy
 As the pregnancy progresses must reach an acceptance
Social Influences
In the past: Today:
 The pregnancy was conveyed as a 9-  Our society view pregnancy as a time of
month-long illness health
 The pregnant woman went alone to a  Women bring their families for prenatal
physician’s office for care care
 Instead of general anaesthetics to
 At the time of birth, she was separated
“sleep through” labor and birth, they
from her family and admitted to a
are urged to actively participate in the
hospital
experience
 She was hospitalized in seclusion from  Birthing rooms and family-centered
visitors and even from the new baby for care helped involved families in
a week afterward childbirth
 The couple’s outlook about pregnancy and childbirth are affected by:
 Their cultural background
 Their personal experiences
 Experiences of friends and relatives
 Current public philosophy of childbirth
 People’s opinion about the following have changed:
 Adolescent pregnancy
 “Late in life” pregnancy
 Lesbian pregnancy
 Nurses can make pregnancy and childbirth more enjoyable for clients and their
families by:
 Informing women about their new health care options
 Continuing to work with other health care providers to “demedicalize”
childbirth

2. Cultural Influences
 Psychological changes and associated behaviors are triggered not only by uterine
enlargement and hormone levels, but also by the woman's culture
 Certain cultural beliefs and taboos may place restrictions on a woman’s behavior
and activities regarding her pregnancy
 During prenatal visit, ask the woman and her partner if there is anything they
believe that should or should not be done to make the pregnancy successful and
keep the baby healthy
 Examples:
 Lifting your arms over your head during pregnancy will cause the cord to
twist
 Watching a lunar eclipse will cause birth deformities
 Listen to such “tell tales” to show respect for the person’s beliefs, but encourage
the woman to ask her health care provider to find out if there is any substance to
them
Family Influences
Positive Influence Negative Influence
Woman and her siblings were loved and Woman and her siblings were seen as
seen as a pleasant outcome of a happy intruders or were blamed for the break-
marriage up of a marriage
Excruciating pain and endless suffering
Pregnancy is natural and simple
in labor
“If you hadn’t come along:
- “I could have had gone to college”
- “I could have had a career”
 
Positive attitude toward her pregnancy View pregnancy as a disaster
 ‘People love as they have been loved.’
 To mother her baby well, she should be able to feel pleasurable anticipation at the
prospect of rearing a child
 Becoming a mother is a second adjustment above and beyond being pregnant
 The mother who views mothering as a positive activity is more likely to be pleased
when she becomes pregnant than one who devalues mothering
Mother’s Emotional Responses
 Narcissistic response is an early reaction
 Extroversion, glowing behavior is common
 Has difficulty staying focused
 Emotional mood swings are frequent
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3.  Husbands need to be forewarned about these changes to expect in wife
Steps in Preparing for Motherhood
 Mimicry and role-playing
 association with other pregnant women or new mothers
 spend time with own mother
 Identifies parenting role she wants to mimic
 Fantasy--How will it be to be a mother
 Grief work--giving up her current lifestyle as life will never again be the same
Hindrances associated with a mothering breakdown
 Multiple births
 Children born within 10--12 months apart
 Moving
 Loss of security (job/illness of self or family)
 Loss of husband/ or infant’s father
 Previous loss of a child
Practical Tasks
 Physical preparation for new arrival
 Financial re-arrangements
 Household chores and responsibilities
 Acquisition of new knowledge regarding pregnancy and childbirth
Father’s Reaction to Pregnancy
 Fathers are becoming more involved in the childbearing process from pre-natal
care to participating in the labor and birth process
 Acceptance is also his major developmental task to be achieved
 Needs to accept the reality of the child
 Need preparation for the changes that will take place for his wife
 Mood swings are common and emotions are unpredictable
 Narcissistic or self-centered response of mother may be misunderstood
 May feel “left out”
 May have feelings of jealousy
 His childhood background will also influence his preparation
 Needs to also identify a role-model or parenting style he wants to mimic
 Preparation also includes fantasy and grief work
Concerns of Fathers
 Breadwinner--most are still primarily concerned with the financial obligations
 Protective and supportive role
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4.  Symptoms of pregnancy often are felt by dads
Effects of Pregnancy of Other Children
 Most parents agree children will need some warning
 Effects of the pregnancy may occur early for the children
 Mood swings of Mom and unpredictable response to behavior
 Mom ‘sick’ and Dad fixing breakfast
 Visits to the doctor
 Physical changes in the home
Preparing Children for a New Sibling
 How soon to tell children depends on their ages and personality of the child
 The parents reactions and acceptance of the new baby also will influence the
children
 The attitude of the older children often will reflect the attitude of the parents
Preparation by Ages
 School-age children should be told when the parents know for sure
 Pre-School age children probably should be told when preparation for the baby
begins
 Toddlers are often the most affected and must give up the role of “baby of the
family”
 Answering their questions
 Answer questions honestly and simply depending on age and
understanding
 Answer only what he is asking
The Unwed Pregnant Patient
 Overall birth rate is decreasing, but for the teen-age mother under age 15, it is
rising
 Teens are more prone to complications than older mothers
 Infant mortality is higher as well
 Often may have a problem with acceptance of the pregnancy and seek to hide it
Teen-age Mothers
 Often the first major decision is to tell the parents of the pregnancy
 There may be an initial reaction of anger, disappointment and even grief
 After parents have time to adapt and accept the pregnancy, they can be the teen-
age mother’s best ally
Options facing the teen-age Mother
 Stay in school is the first option to be stressed
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5.  Marriage may be considered
 Abortion--may feel initial relief, and then guilt and depression
 Adoption--a beautiful option
 Single-parenting
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