Cross-disciplinary Perspectives on Prenatal Parental Reflective Functioning

Introduction: During pregnancy, pregnant mothers may start wondering about the baby’s mind, transitioning into the mother role and the emerging relationship with their unborn baby. Such reflections form an important aspect of Prenatal Parental Reflective Functioning (P-PRF), which has been linked to later maternal and child outcomes. It is a relatively new line of inquiry and warrants phenomenological exploration. Methods: Five experts (a perinatal psychiatrist, obstetrician-gynecologist, clinician trained in mentalization-based treatment, cultural psychologist, and lived experience expert) participated in semi-structured interviews and an expert validation process, which informed how P-PRF can be explored among first-time pregnant women in the third trimester. Results: Reflexive thematic analysis generated three themes representing culturally-informed cross-disciplinary perspectives on prenatal reflective engagement. These include: “Reflecting on the Unborn Child and the Emerging Maternal Self,” “Contexts of Reflective Engagement During Pregnancy,” and “Developmental Roots of Prenatal Reflective Engagement.” Conclusion: A culturally-sensitive means of understanding P-PRF and its facilitating factors may encourage timely assessment and creation of supportive mechanisms during the perinatal period.