Pregnancy and Birth
Conclusion
Pregnancy and birth can be a very special time in the life of a woman. The nine months of pregnancy, as well as labor and delivery, are filled with many physical and psychological changes, as well as changes in lifestyle. Each change poses a challenge that can be met successfully when the woman shares her feelings and experiences with a partner or other supportive person and with her physician, midwife, nurse, and childbirth educator. The importance of health care throughout pregnancy is emphasized, because proper health care increases the likelihood of a healthy pregnancy, a healthy baby, and satisfied parents. Many references, particularly the Human Relations Area Files, describe cultural variations in beliefs about pregnancy and birth and associated behaviors.
See also: ABORTION; ADOLESCENT PARENTHOOD; FAMILY PLANNING; FERTILITY; GENETIC COUNSELING; MOTHERHOOD; NONMARITAL CHILDBEARING
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Other Resources
ABCbirth.com. (1999). The ABCs of Pregnancy. An Online Textbook About Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Early Parenting. Available from http://www.abcbirth.com.
BabyCenter, L.L.C. (2002). Available from http://www. babycenter.com.
Human Relations Area Files: Cultural Information for Education and Research. Information on HRAF available from http://www.yale.edu/hraf/.
Nestlé. (2002). Very Best Baby. Available from www.verybestbaby.com.
Pregnancy-Info.Net. (2002). Available from www. pregnancy-info.net.
U.S. National Library of Medicine. (2002). MEDLINEplus Health Information. Pregnancy and Reproduction Topics. Available from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/pregnancyandreproduction.html.
JACQUELINE FAWCETT
CYNTHIA ABER
VIRGINIA BOWEN SILVA
Additional topics
Marriage and Family EncyclopediaPregnancy & ParenthoodPregnancy and Birth - Pregnancy, Physical And Psychological Changes Of Pregnancy, The Woman's Partner, Developmental Tasks Of Pregnancy