Infant Mental Health in Prenatal Care

Abstract

Pregnancy is a time of profound physical and psychological change. It marks the transition to parenthood and the beginning of the infant-parent attachment, which is critical for the infant's future mental health. We describe obstetric practices that utilize an integrated infant mental health approach. Integrated infant mental health models in prenatal care emphasize the importance of the maternal fetal relationship, both from a medical as well as a relational perspective. Professionals using an infant mental health informed approach during the course of obstetric care have an opportunity for promotion of the relationship between the mother and her baby and, if needed, can intervene at the earliest possible time, minimizing the psychological vulnerability of the prenatal period.