ABSTRACT
The perinatal period is the absolute entry point for all cultures. However, while the birth process and the specific physical and psychological needs of the infant are universal, there are differences surrounding the period leading up to and immediately following birth that express cultural differences. The actual physical setting for birth appears to be conditional, worldwide, on relative affluence and urbanization. For example, a birth in Dakar, Senegal, to an affluent US citizen is accomplished in a private hospital with a five-day postpartum stay; conditions in public health care facilities in Senegal are often vastly different and less serene. A sheer chasm between the United States and virtually all other countries in the world is reflected in the way in which pregnant women are treated in prison at and after the time of birth.
