Vol. 2 No. 1 (2017): Empowering Women and Maternities in Complex Scenarios

In Western countries, maternity can be considered a secure and healthy process. Fortunately, mortality and morbidity rates are extremely low. Thus, both maternity and paternity become a life goal in individuals’ life narratives. However, sometimes we forget that, notwithstanding these good figures, the process of becoming a father or a mother is not entirely risk-free and some health problems may arise. This issue addresses several complex situations that might occur during maternity: anxiety in pregnant women with fetal growth restriction, postpartum depression, caesarean section, newborn malformations, as well as gynecologic pathologies. In these scenarios, the empowerment of women and an adequate preparation of pregnancy and childbirth become a matter of paramount importance.