Reproduction, pregnancy and childbirth are biological processes with far-reaching psychological implications for a person’s or a couple’s life. Indeed, when two people decide to have a child or face an unplanned pregnancy, they are called upon to make decisions that will greatly affect their lives and determine the future of another human being. Moreover, they will have to cope with changes that will psychologically impact them as individuals and as a couple, and may have an effect on their family, their social and professional relationships, and their way of life.

It is not uncommon for these processes to be further complicated by problems and difficulties, such as infertility, high-risk pregnancy, hereditary disorders and prematurity. In these difficult situations, the expectant mother or the prospective parents rely mainly on the physician handling medical issues but can also benefit from the support of a clinical psychologist specializing in perinatal issues, who can help them process and overcome psychological problems stemming from these difficult situations.