Chronological Listing of Articles with Abstracts by Volume, Issue, and Page
Vol. 16 (1), 2001, 3-67

This combined volume consists of two sections comprising all of the material of substantive scientific content in the Journal to date: empirical and qualitative research, case studies, anthropological and cross-cultural investigations, theoretical frameworks and opinion pieces by seminal thinkers, and key-note addresses given at major conference on the state of the field of pre- and perinatal psychology.

Toward a Fluid Dance in Seamless Dress: The Field of Pre- and Perinatal Development Challenges Researchers to Integrate Scientific and Spiritual Orientations
Axness, Marcy
Vol. 16 (2), 2001, 135-149

Under exploration is the response of humankind to mystery relative to the historically sharp distinction between scientific and spiritual ways of knowing. The evolving image of the dancer in a half-male/half-female costume serves as a metaphor for the rapport between these two basic research orientations, and for how they might be reconciled-in the interest of both research and the researcher. Findings from the highly interdisciplinary field of prenatal and perinatal development illustrate the need for an integrated approach to understanding "reality". As Sir Ian McKellan notes, "With the eclipse of God by the advent and ascension of reason and science, there is no seeming tolerance for the unexplained, which in earlier centuries would have been relegated to 'the work of God'. Religion is the answer given in various cultures to those vulnerable areas of life that are not understood, the so-called Divine Mysteries."

Naturally Sexual Breast-Feeding: An Evolutionary Prescription for Emotional Health
Glabach, Dale
Vol. 16 (2), 2001, 151-166

Breast-feeding, from the deepest evolutionary perspective, merges our emotional experiences of sexuality and intimacy at the very beginning of life to promote a more holistic concept of self. The obvious physical parallels between breast-feeding and reproductive coitus are examined. An historical analysis illustrates how patriarchal religious anti-sexualism ultimately cause breast-feeding to become inappropriately "re-defined" as an asexual experience, in parallel with the inappropriate attempts to "re-define" masturbation as self-abuse, and even reproductive coitus as an asexual experience. Such "redefinition" of breast-feeding is then linked to the sexual repression of women as part of their stigmatization in the 18th Century as maternal beings too "pure" to have any sexual needs at all. Lingering sexual fears are shown as a continuing plague to a mother's enjoyment of the process, even to the point of causing her to cease breast-feeding early when such feelings arise. In addition to other benefits, long-term intimate breast-feeding is shown not to promote, but rather to discourage incestuous relations with the mother. The revelation of the original experience of breast-feeding is described based on the most primitive of hunter-gatherer societies in confirmation of the evolutionary perspective. Finally, the philosophical, social, and practical implications of breast-feeding as a form of "love-making" are discussed.

Nature, Nurture and Human Development
Lipton, Bruce
Vol. 16 (2), 2001, 167-180

The role of nature-nurture must be reconsidered in light of the Human Genome Project's surprising results. Conventional biology emphasizes that human expression is controlled by genes, and is under the influence of nature. Since 95% of the population possess "fit" genes, dysfunctions in this population are attributable to environmental influences (nurture). Nurture experiences, initiated in utero, provide for "learned perceptions." Along with genetic instincts, learned perceptions constitute the life-shaping subconscious mind. The conscious mind, which functions around age six, operates independently of the subconscious. Conscious mind can observe and criticize behavioral tapes, yet cannot "force" a change in subconscious mind.

The Sunrise as the Birth of a Baby: The Prenatal Key to Egyptian Mythology
Renggli, Franz
Vol. 16 (3), 2002, 215-235

The Dutch historian of religion, Bruno Hugo Stricker, has been studying Egyptian mythology since 1940 and can show that this ancient culture tries to understand the development of a baby in the womb of its mother as a basis to comprehend the origin of the world. In the center of the Egyptian mythology is the Sun God Ra who is swallowed every evening by the sky goddess Nut and in the morning is reborn through her vulva. The books of the netherworld describe the adventures and dangers he lives through in the body of this goddess. Every morning Ra has to attack the biggest of his enemies, the serpent Apophis, whom he defeats by cutting off his head-the naval cord is severed. Microcosm: the baby is born; macrocosm: the sun rises blood-red above the horizon.

The Impact of Prenatal Psychology on Society and Culture
Janus, Ludwig
Vol. 16 (3), 2002, 237-247

As a result of the research conducted by prenatal psychology into psychological and emotional experiences before and during birth, a whole new dimension has been added to our life-history. We are now able to recognize that human cultural artifacts and activities have to some extent always expressed prenatal and perinatal feelings and by doing so have familiarized us with an alien world by allowing us to "rediscover" the microcosm of our prenatal life in the macrocosm of the world. This is illustrated using several examples, such as the mythical ideas about kings (prenatal feelings of power), the holy trees (placenta) and the holy chambers (uterine space), among others.

The Neurobiology of Attachment and Early Personality Organization
Schore, Allan
Vol. 16 (3), 2002, 249-263

Current advances in the developmental and neurobiological sciences are now being integrated into complex models of the development of self, and therefore personality. The human brain growth spurt, which begins in the last quarter of pregnancy and extends into the second year, overlaps the prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal periods. It also represents the early critical period for the experience-dependent maturation of the right hemisphere, which is dominant for processing socioemotional and bodily information, stress coping functions, and self-regulation. Interactively regulated psychobiological transactions between the infant and primary caregiver, embedded in the attachment relationship, are thus essential for the optimal development of self-regulatory functions and the organization of a personality with resilient coping functions.

Primal Health Research: Four Essays
Odent, Michel
Vol. 16 (3), 2002, 265-295

I. Primal Health Research: A New Era in Health Research
II. Understanding Health: From Fetal Vulnerability to Adult Adaptability
III. Vaccinations: Prevention of Disease Can Be a Cause of Ill Health
IV. Is Breast Best? Beyond the Immediate Impassioned Responses

Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Medicine: New Interdisciplinary Science in the Changing World
Fedor-Freybergh, Peter
Vol. 16 (4), 2002, 305-321

The prenatal encounter is the beginning of the continuum of human life towards self-realization. It presents a unique opportunity for the primary prevention of psychological, emotional, and physical disorders in later life and inspires a new interdisciplinary dialogue that replaces isolation and disagreement. Prenatal science demands a new level of harmony and integration among specialties to understand the nature of all life and supports the needed renaissance of human empathic relationships and spiritual unity in ecological peace.

Perceptions of Optimal Health after Pre/Perinatal Experiences: An Exploratory Study
Lyman, Bobbi Jo
Vol. 16 (4), 2002, 323-330

Objective: To describe the subjective characteristics of optimal health (OH) of persons who have done pre- and perinatal psychology study and/or experiential work around early trauma.

Study Design: Quantitative 20-item forced-choice questionnaires= total scores (t test) and/or a qualitative open-ended question with the results analyzed.

Participants: Sixty-nine members of A.P.P.P.A.H.

Results: Participants= reported Aafter@ pre- and perinatal study/work ratings that were significantly different (p< .05) from self-reported Abefore@ ratings. Qualitatively, two main perceptual categories of OH emerged: 1) Pre- and perinatal themes as a very important precursor to optimal health; and 2) pre- and perinatal themes as one part of a holistic view of health. Two participants reported no difference.

Conclusions: Meaningful life changes leading to improved health based on pre- and perinatal psychology study and/or trauma experiential work appears to be beneficial for achieving perceptions of OH.

A Prenatal Project in India
Kelkar, Gajanan
Vol. 16 (4), 2002, 331-339

Based on ancient Vedic concepts of prenatal education, an educational community near Bombay has been offering a program for thousands of pregnant parents and their unborn babies for 35 years. The goal of the program is to welcome the baby with good thoughts, impart good values to the fetus, improve the emotional health of the parents, increase the active participation of the fathers during pregnancy, and increase the courage and confidence of mothers during labor. Unique to this program is its extensive use of scientific instruments designed to measure the subtle effects of the mind on the body of both parents and babies. This paper briefly describes the program, its historical roots, and empirical results.

The Power of Beliefs: What Babies are Teaching Us.
McCarty, Wendy
Vol. 16 (4), 2002, 341-360

This paper explores the development of beliefs during the prenatal and perinatal period and how babies portray their beliefs. Four vignettes from therapeutic work with babies illustrate the powerful impact beliefs already have in shaping their lives. Basic principles to help babies shift potentially constrictive beliefs to more life enhancing ones are included. This paper is intended as a theoretical and clinical exploration leading to new thought, research and clinical direction. This paper calls for a paradigm for infant development and communication with babies that is based on the premise that consciousness is the organizing principle of human experience. The importance of both practitioner and parent's beliefs is discussed.

In each individual there is a life project, which can be traced back to conception. The life project exists in the depths of a child's being, close to their essence; from there, it influences all the internal and external processes. The life project contains what a person needs to realize personal potentialities that are present from conception. The life project seldom appears clear to the parents from the beginning although unborn children send signals of their existence and their character. Unfortunately, in our materialistic culture signals from the unborn are systematically ignored, deflected and then forgotten by parents. Education begins from conception and can be properly achieved by parents only if they establish a deep contact with their children, communicating with them, and coming to know their life project.