SW 566-Chapter 2 Discussion

Conception, Pregnancy, and Childbirth

Please select ONE of the Case Studies below and answer the questions that go with
that case. 
Case Study 2.1: Jennifer Bradshaw’s Experience With Infertility

1. What do you perceive to be Jennifer’s most significant strengths? How

might you, as a social worker, build on those strengths?
2. As you read the case study, did you have any personal reactions to the
various types of fertility treatments described? Would it be difficult for you
to discuss these options with a client? How would you work to manage
your own beliefs on these issues when working with a client?
3. Explore the impact of economic stability and finances on the
socioemotional functioning of Jennifer and Allen.
4. How should federal and/or state policies be changed to better meet the
needs of this family?
Case Study 2.2: Cecelia Kin’s Struggle With the Options

1. What is the role of the social worker in genetic counseling? What should be

the role of the social worker in genetic counseling? Why?
2. What support needs to be provided for families with a child who has a
disability? How does society help families with disabilities?
3. What do you think are necessary changes to better support individuals
with disabilities living in our families and communities?
Case Study 2.3: The Thompsons’ Premature Birth

1. What challenges do the Thompsons face in transitioning to parenthood?

2. What role (and in what ways) does technology play in supporting the
family? Are there ways the social worker can interface with technology to
better support the family?
3. How are institutions (educational, economic, and military) committed to the
care of newborns and the well-being of families? What can be improved in
our institutions to better care for newborns and families?

Additional materials

Chapter 2 SAGE Journal Articles

Journal Article 2.1: Trommsdorff, G., & Nauck, B. (201). Introduction to
special section for Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology: Value of children:
A concept for better understanding cross-cultural variations in fertility
behavior and intergenerational relationships. Journal of Cross-Cultural
Psychology. 41(5-6): 637-651.Links to an external site.
Abstract: The concept of value of children (VOC) was introduced three
decades ago and has recently gained increasing importance due to
ongoing significant demographic changes in many parts of the world,
namely declining birth rates and increasing life expectancy. Even though
the concept of VOC suggests interdisciplinary and cross-
cultural research, these methodologies were only recently used as part
of a collaborative international enterprise aiming to revise and extend
the original VOC study. The extended study is based on psychological
and sociological approaches and makes use of more sophisticated
methods of cross-cultural comparison and multilevel analyses. The
thematic scope has also been expanded beyond childbearing to
childrearing and also deals with parent-child relations over the entire
lifespan. The present special section provides an overview of ongoing
theoretical and methodological progress on the basis of four selected
studies on VOC and intergenerational relations in different cultures.
Learning Objective: 2.2 Summarize some themes in the sociocultural
context of conception, pregnancy, and childbirth

Journal Article 2.2:  Louw, K. (2018). Substance use in pregnancy: The

medical challenge. Obstetric Medicine. 11(2): 54-66.Links to an external
site.
Abstract: Substance use contributes significantly to the global burden of
disease. Growing numbers of women use nicotine, alcohol, and illicit
substances. Women are the most vulnerable to problematic substance
use in their reproductive years. The first 1000 days of life, starting at
conception, have been established as a critical window of time for long-
term health and development. Substance use in pregnancy is associated
with negative pregnancy and child health outcomes. The impact of
antenatal substance use on these outcomes needs to be considered
within a challenging and complex context. This review provides an
overview of the current literature on the impact of substances on
pregnancy and child outcomes as well as the evidence and guidelines on
screening and interventions for women using substances during
pregnancy.
Learning Objective: 2.7 Give examples of different circumstances under
which people become parents.
Journal Article 2.3: Payne, N.A. & Anastas, J.W. (2014). The Mental Health
Needs of Low-Income Pregnant Teens: A Nursing–Social Work Partnership
in Care. Research on Social Work Practice. 25(5): 595 – 606.Links to an
external site.
Abstract: While the rates of teen childbearing have declined in the
United States, adolescents who become pregnant and decide to bear
and rear their babies are often from low-income, highly stressed families
and communities. This article will describe the psychosocial problems of
pregnant urban teens and how exposure to interpersonal trauma and
current mental health problems may affect their prenatal health
behavior, a vulnerable arena that has significance for infant
development. It will discuss nurse home visiting as a preventive
intervention with proven effectiveness in enhancing maternal prenatal
health and behavior, the health and development of children born to
mothers at risk, and how a nurse–family collaboration with social
workers can facilitate this mission. By providing collaborative care that
addresses psychosocial, health, and mental health concerns,
interventions like home visiting can reach their full potential.
Learning Objective: 2.7 Give examples of different circumstances under
which people become parents, 2.8 Give examples of risk factors and
protective factors in conception, pregnancy, and childbirth, 2.9 Apply
knowledge of conception, pregnancy, and childbirth to recommend
guidelines for social work engagement, assessment, intervention, and
evaluation.