Perinatology is the clinical domain which studies what happens around the time of the birth, during the "perinatal period".
Perinatology notably encompasses "neonatology" (premature births) but also the fertility clinic, in other words examinations of investigations and different forms of treatment (such as hormonal stimulation and artificial reproduction, "IVF" or artificial insemination).
Domain or clinical field :
The perinatal period also comprises :
- the field of obstetrics (pregnancy and delivery)
the pre-partum period - the birth as an event and early parent-child relations
the post-partum period
Professionals involved :
Perinatology specialists come from the medical, paramedical and psychological domain.
- Medical: gynaecologists, obstetricians and specialists in assisted procreation, specialists in morphological ultrasound, paediatricians and psychiatrists
- Paramedical: midwives, physiotherapists, haptonomists, paediatric nurses or nurses who work in simple maternity or “intensive care” units (when the pregnancy is high-risk or the child is born prematurely)
- Psychologists and sexologists, for simple psychological and psychotherapeutic support
- In these medically recognised clinical domains, there are also practices linked to the perinatal period - the approach to which can also be interesting; amongst these parallel practices, there is notably the work offered by doulas or sophrologists
(Wide) target audience:
The perinatal period potentially touches quite a wide audience!
This wide audience is made up of:
- people who are already parents ("post-partum" period)
- Parents to be ("pre-partum" period)
- people hoping to become parents (including women and couples concerned by medically assisted reproduction)
- medical or social teams (maternity or paediatric units, crèches etc., for example) also call on the services of perinatal psychotherapists when difficulties seem to appear amongst mothers or fathers (high levels of anxiety, difficulties tuning in to the needs of the newborn, presumed risk for the child in the event of negligence and/or abuse of the newborn etc.).