The Effect of Psychological Environment on Childbirth

Combined Cross -Cultural and Experimental Approach

Bibliographic Data

ID2315344
AuthorsNiles Newton (Division of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Northwestern University Medical School, corresponding author)
Year1970
Volume1
Issue1
Pages85-90
Publication date1970-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Cross-Cultural Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-0221 • E-ISSN: 1552-5422
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/002202217000100110
OpenAlexW2114722670
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited5

A cross-cultural survey of birth patterning revealed marked differences in the speed of labor and indicated extreme variations in the psychological environment during labor and delivery. Speedier, easier labors appear to be related to acceptance of birth as a normal physiologic phenomena uncomplicated by sexual shame or fear-inducing rituals. The hypotheses developed from cross-cultural surveys were then tested experimentally in mice. Disturbance applied during labor resulted in reduction of labor speed immediately after the disturbance. Mice continuously disturbed at term delivered first pups significantly later, and had a 54% higher pup mortality rate. When expectant mice were rotated between familiar environment with shelter and glass fish bowl imbued with cat odor, spending equal amounts of time at each, significantly fewer births took place in the latter

Biology · Childbirth · Developmental psychology · Disturbance (geology · Pregnancy · Shame · Sociology · Demography · Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior · Human-Animal Interaction Studies · Medicine · Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior · Psychology · Social Psychology

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