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Culture in Prenatal Development: Parental Attitudes, Availability of Care, Expectations, Values, and Nutrition

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Abstract

Background

Culture is a universal phenomenon, but most interest about culture during pregnancy has focused on medical care, neglecting psychological aspects of normative development.

Objective

The purpose of this article was to examine normative gestational experiences using the framework of a broaden and build model of culture, positive pregnancy, and youth development.

Methods

The review involved 43 studies, books, and book chapters (1981–2013) obtained from electronic databases, focusing on parental attitudes, available care, parental expectations, cultural values, and nutrition likely to affect the unborn.

Results

Several protective factors emerged, such as positive expectations, early prenatal care, protective cultural values, appropriate nutrition, sensitive health care providers, and interdependent, supportive relationships; the absence of some of these protective factors predicted prenatal, perinatal or postnatal complications, likely to affect the health and mental health of youth.

Conclusions

The review’s findings are congruent with theoretical propositions. Positive feelings and expectations broaden prenatal care, adequate nutrition and avoidance of substance use. In turn, these positive activities help build social support and interdependent relationships that promote maternal and infant health, in the context of protective cultural norms.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Maria Morabito for her editorial help in a previous version of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Child Psychology Concentration Coordinator, Carlos Albizu University, Miami Campus, 2173 NW 99th Avenue, Miami, FL, 33172, USA

    Irene M. Bravo

  2. Keiser University, Miami Campus, Miami, FL, USA

    Melissa Noya

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Correspondence to Irene M. Bravo.

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Bravo, I.M., Noya, M. Culture in Prenatal Development: Parental Attitudes, Availability of Care, Expectations, Values, and Nutrition. Child Youth Care Forum 43, 521–538 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-014-9251-4

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