Emotional care of the pregnant woman.

Prenatal care affords an unparalleled opportunity, with a captive audience, to engage in prevention of primary mental health problems. Pregnancy and birth are family crises with much overt marital pathology and deviant parent-child relationships starting at this time. There is unfortunately little awareness of normal emotional reactions to pregnancy or of the pregnant woman's needs, and physician's attitudes and my ths can perpetuate this. The author suggests a range of interventive methods including use of community resources and involvement of other professionals.