PRENATAL-CARE

This paper describes the psychological and psychosocial aspects of pre natal care, which are believed to be of particular importance for medi cal/psychological practice. The emotional changes that ''normally'' ta ke place during pregnancy are surveyed and evidence is provided linkin g these changes with potential adverse effect on pregnancy and labour. The salience of anxiety and life stresses in pregnancy research is hi ghlighted as well as their intricate inverse relationship with social support. Antenatal classes are offered as an example of social support provision. The different kinds of such classes and evaluation of thei r effectiveness are briefly presented, as well as a number of controll ed trials of enhanced support during pregnancy. Finally, the effect pr ovision of prenatal care has on women as well as their role in their o wn care are raised. The need is stressed for further sophisticated lon gitudinal and multivariate research exploring further the causative li nks between quality of prenatal care, pregnancy outcome, and subsequen t child development. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd.