Abstract
BackgroundPsychic transparency is described as a psychic crisis occurring during pregnancy. The objective was to test if it was clinically detectable.MethodsSeven primiparous and seven nulliparous subjects were recorded during 5 min of spontaneous speech about their dreams. 25 raters from five groups (psychoanalysts, psychiatrists, general practitioners, pregnant women and medical students) listened to the audiotapes. They were asked to rate the probability of the women being pregnant or not. Their ability to discriminate the primiparous women was tested. The probability of being identified correctly or not was calculated for each woman. A qualitative analysis of the speech samples was performed.ResultsNo group of rater was able to correctly classify pregnant and non-pregnant women. However, the raters’ choices were not completely random. The wish to be pregnant or to have a baby could be linked to a primiparous classification whereas job priorities could be linked to a nulliparous classification.ConclusionsIt was not possible to detect Psychic transparency in this study. The wish for a child might be easier to identify. In addition, the raters’ choices seemed to be connected to social representations of motherhood.
Highlights
Psychic transparency is described as a psychic crisis occurring during pregnancy
Noteworthiness of the problem Maternal health is an important determinant in women’s health [1] which is not restricted to the technical management of pregnancy
Psychoanalysts describe a particular dynamic during pregnancy involving a psychological crisis and a process of maturation arising from the experience of a new developmental phase, parenthood [2]
Summary
Psychic transparency is described as a psychic crisis occurring during pregnancy. The objective was to test if it was clinically detectable. Noteworthiness of the problem Maternal health is an important determinant in women’s health [1] which is not restricted to the technical management of pregnancy. From a holistic point of view, maternity care encompasses physiological and psychological aspects. Prenatal and postnatal care alike relies on a clinical encounter and requires sensitivity to the dynamics of the relationship. Psychoanalysts describe a particular dynamic during pregnancy involving a psychological crisis and a process of maturation arising from the experience of a new developmental phase, parenthood [2]. Several authors have described a specific psychic state during pregnancy. Donald Winnicott developed the concept of “primary maternal preoccupation” [3] which refers to a new mind-set which
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