PSYCHOLOGICAL CHANGES DURING PREGNANCY

NOTES IN MATERNAL AND CHILD NURSING
Reference: NURSE’S NOTES: MATERNAL and CHILD NURSING
Maritess Manalang-Quinto, RN, MAN(c)

Psychological Changes
First trimester
- Accepting pregnancy
- Common reaction: Ambivalence
Second trimester
- Accepting the baby; concentrates on
the new role
- Common Reactions: narcissism,
introversion, role playing, ↑
dreaming
Third trimester
- preparing for the baby and end of pregnancy
- Common reaction; impatience on the upcoming birth

Other psychological changes
Attitude towards body image
Increased stress
COUVADE syndrome: physical s/sx of pregnancy manifested in the woman’s husband
Emotional lability: mood swing bec of hormones
Changes in sexual desire: ↑ or ↓ libido