Healthy Mothers, Healthy Children: A Keystone for Happiness in Society

Abstract

Healthy mothers and children are essential to happiness in society. Birth is one of the most complex experiences in a woman’s life and the transition to parenthood is an intense period with great rewards but also numerous challenges that might negatively impact the health of the mother, the fetus, and the neonate. A positive birth experience has a fear-reaching effect on mothers’ and babies’ health and wellbeing. Perinatal education empowers women to cope with the changes and challenges of pregnancy and childbirth. Psychological and social risk factors during the perinatal period increase the risk of adverse obstetrical, neonatal, and postnatal complications, while their persistence into the postnatal period compromises mother-child interaction, and the child’s physical and neuropsychological development. The aim of this chapter is to examine perinatal care in Cyprus, starting with an outline of perinatal education and continuing with an assessment of mothers’ self-reported experiences of perinatal care received. The main objectives are: (1) to explore the mechanisms by which timely and accurate information during pregnancy can decrease the risk of adverse obstetrical, neonatal, and postnatal complications, (2) to assess mothers’ needs, and (3) to identify factors in perinatal care that lead to positive birth experiences, family wellbeing, and happiness.