How Women Can Carry Their Unborn Babies to Term – The Prevention of Premature Birth Through Psychosomatic Methods

This article presents a method that has been developed in Germany, during
practical work in an office for gynecology, obstetrics, and psychotherapy, which has resulted in an astoundingly
low rate of premature births among the pregnant women cared for. The actual rate of premature births in the
last 15 years stands at something over 1 per cent instead of about 7 per cent usual in Germany. It has been
found that a threatened premature birth should be regarded within the entirety of physical and emotional
processes. In contrast to the traditional approach, symptoms are not to be regarded as problems that have to be
got rid of, but are rather to be interpreted as important signals and signposts that point towards more
appropriate modes of behavior. Suggestions for primary prevention are the encouragement of the expectant
mother to heed her inner emotional and physical state and to get into contact to her unborn child. Four case
histories are included. KEY WORDS: Prevention of premature birth, Prenatal care.