In utero trauma was never talked about years ago. But studies have shown that what happens to a child in the womb affects their life after they are born. A child who has experienced an uneventful time in their mother’s womb has fewer difficulties as one whose mother struggled with either health issues, alcohol, mental illness, or even experienced a car accident while pregnant.
When I look at my oldest daughter, who is my only biological child, her life today makes sense to me. While pregnant with her, I had hyperemesis or extreme morning sickness. I was in and out of the hospital every few days for fluids because of dehydration. It was, however, a safe in utero experience for my daughter. Today, as a young adult, she is a teacher. I tell her that she became a teacher because in the womb she was trying to figure everything out.
My younger two children were adopted, both with very different in utero experiences. When I look at all my children, it is very clear to me how and why they are the people they are today. Children with traumatic pre-birth experiences have more health, emotional, and learning issues. With the health care available to mothers today, as a country and community, we should never let a pregnant mother who chooses to have her baby go without the physical and emotional care she needs. Put yourself in a pregnant mother’s shoes. If it were you or your daughter, wouldn’t you want and fight for her to have the healthiest pregnancy and experience for her unborn child?