A socio-analytic investigation, showing mental images of health personnel and their influence on the course of pregnancy, child birth and child nursing has been performed at the Obstetrics and Neonatology Departments of Maria Vittoria Hospital, Torino, Italy. Through a statistical analysis on the mothers population during one year (1986 Nov-1987 Nov) a significant reduction of maternal delivery stress and neonatal risk has been found in relation to the "participation to the psycho-prophylactic courses" and to the "presence of fathers during delivery". Answers of mothers to a questionnaire are reported. This work points out the importance of a child birth's humanization.
Adolescent Adult