Abstract

Pregnancy is a time of great change for a woman, both physically and psychologically. In addition to the more obvious physical changes, there are changes in mood and in the way, emotions are experienced; identity undergoes major changes and the vision of the future takes on a different connotation. Personal relationships within the couple and family are altered and relationships are profoundly transformed. To manage all these dynamics, it is essential that each woman feels supported in this journey, that she feels comfortable in her own life context, and that she has access to the resources she needs.

A woman’s well-being is fundamental to the way she herself experiences pregnancy, but it also plays a crucial role in the development of the foetus and has profound long-term effects. The way a woman perceives and experiences the period of pregnancy and the attitude she takes influence the outcome of the pregnancy itself and the delivery. The woman’s experience of pregnancy and psychological well-being have short, medium- and long-term effects on the child and its development. This paper aims to investigate the relationships between a pregnant woman’s psychological well-being and the child’s development at two different developmental stages, during gestation and after birth.

Keywords: Pregnancy; Depression; Post partum depression; Attachment