Pregnancy, Birth, Newborn, and Infancy Chart Essay

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Grand Canyon University *

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SWK-516-O5

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Sociology

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Jun 6, 2024

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docx

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Pregnancy, Birth, Newborn, and Infancy Chart Essay Abigail Mondragon Grand Canyon University SWK-516-Human Behavior in the Social Environment Deb Harper May 27, 2024
Risk factors vary across cultures due to different reasons such as access to healthcare, cultural beliefs, and socioeconomic status. During pregnancy mother’s require access to proper healthcare because it is such a critical stage of life. Managing care is necessary to ensure the health of both mother and infant. Within different cultures there are different beliefs regarding performing certain activities or what the mother’s diet should be during pregnancy. For example, in the United States. it is recommended to refrain from eating raw foods but in other cultures such as Japanese raw seafood is a significant part of the overall diet. In some cultures, childbirth is viewed as a natural process that does not require medical interference. In the United States hospital births are considered the norm, while in other cultures home births are more common. Medical interventions are not always seen as necessary to ensure a safe delivery of the baby. However, in the United States, there is the option to have combination of both, with the development of “freestanding birth centers located near a hospital to more home-like birthing rooms with hospital labor departments” (Hutchison, 2019). The way stress is handled could also differ across cultures. This can impact pregnancy and mental health because mental health disorders may be stigmatized within a certain culture. Not being able to openly discuss these issues can make it difficult to access treatment or support. Physical health risks can also be a concern, some examples include gestational diabetes or basic pregnancy education (Huang, Xu, Peng, & Zhang.,2023).
In LGBT+ families there are various risk factors that can occur. For example, in the newborn infant stage, same-sex male couples may face challenges with the absence of a female partner. These challenges include providing breastmilk for the baby which can affect the baby’s health and development if not addressed properly. Same-sex couples can also face discrimination when it comes to accessing healthcare. Lack of access to proper healthcare can affect the development of the baby. Dealing with the stigma of being a LGBT+ can also have a negative effect on mental health which can lead to stress and negatives outcomes for the development of the baby (Brodzinsky & Pertman, 2012). For adoptive families, lack of access to medical history can pose risks to an infant’s health with issues like genetic disorders or other medical conditions. Adopted children can also have a higher risk developmental and behavioral issues due to history of abuse, neglect, or trauma. Adoptive parents may also face stigma due to the non-traditional family structure, which can negatively affect their mental health and parenting competence. The Pregnancy, Birth, Newborn, and Infancy Chart can be beneficial to a career in social work because brings awareness to specific circumstances faced within diverse family systems. It also helps social workers to collaborate with other professionals to enhance and guide assessment and intervention. This chart makes it easier to understand how an individual’s history since before birth can influence their current life. Especially for social workers who want to work with infants and young children it’s important to understand how their environment and culture play a significant role in their development.
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