ABSTRACT

The book examines the major issues in perinatal clinical psychology with the presence of theoretical information and operational indications, through a biopsychosocial approach.

The multiplicity of scientific information reported makes this book both a comprehensive overview on the major perinatal mental health disorders and illnesses, and a clinical guide. It covers perinatal clinical psychology through a journey of 15 chapters, putting the arguments on a solid theoretical basis and reporting multiple operational indications of great utility for daily clinical practice. It has well documented new evidence bases in the field of clinical psychology that have underpinned the conspicuous current global and national developments in perinatal mental health.

As such, it is an excellent resource for researchers, policy makers, and practitioners – in fact, anyone and everyone who wishes to understand and rediscover, in a single opera,  the current scientific and application scenario related to psychological health during pregnancy and after childbirth.

chapter |6 pages

Introduction

part I|36 pages

Stress

chapter 2|17 pages

Fetal Exposure to Mother’s Distress

New Frontiers in Research and Useful Knowledge for Daily Clinical Practice

part II|103 pages

Procreation, Pregnancy, and Delivery

chapter 3|17 pages

‘A Precipice in Time’ – Reproductive Biotechnology

Psychosocial Impact and Unintended Consequences

chapter 5|21 pages

Prenatal Diagnosis

Psychological Impact and the Parents’ Experience in the Presence of Fetal Anomalies

chapter 7|14 pages

Traumatic Childbirth

The Ever-Expanding Ripple Effects

part III|70 pages

Postnatal Period

chapter 8|25 pages

Beyond the Blues

Stress, Emotional Experiences of Women, and Intervention Methods during the Postpartum Period

chapter 10|11 pages

Emotional and Practical Needs in Postpartum Women

The Role of Family and Friend Support and Social Networks

chapter 11|17 pages

Breastfeeding and Weaning

Parental Well-Being and Psychological Distress

chapter |2 pages

Afterword