Mother-father relationship, object relations and premature contractions

Mother-father relationship during pregnancy and its influence on obstetric complications, such as premature contractions, has been little investigated, but seems to be far more important than has been acknowledged so far. From a psychoanalytic and psychodynamic perspective three case studies are used to illustrate the ongoing dynamics. First the fetus is identified with an object of the past and/or the present. To ward off threatening object representations the pregnant woman needs a third person, the father. If he is unavailable for her she is in danger of rejecting the child. Results are discussed also in relation to the medical support system.