RUNNING HEAD: PREGNANCY & HYPNOSIS 1 Pregnancy and Hypnosis 2 Pregnancy and Hypnosis Western Oregon University HE 381 Mind/Body Health April 28, 2014 Pregnancy and Hypnosis “Hypnosis has been used in obstetrics for than a century” (Martin, Schauble, Rai, and Curry, 2001). Everyone experiences stress everyday, both good and bad. However, adding pregnancy in the mix can make stress more dangerous for both the mother and the child. Everyone experiences and perceives stress differently; some events of pregnancy can be perceived negatively when other events are looked at in a positive manner. Dr. Calvin Hobel (2014) called stress a “silent disease”. Werner, Uldbjerg, Zachariae, Wu, and Nohr (2013) stated that childbirth is one of the most intense and demanding events that a woman is likely to go through, requiring not only physical but also psychological resources to deal with the labor process. The childbirth experience can be influenced by various factors, including unexpected medical problems, emergency operative delivery, low levels of support from partner or caregivers, pain, and loss of control. The woman’s own anticipation about the upcoming childbirth have also been found to influence the subsequent birth (Nohr, 2013). There are many different ways to deal with stress during pregnancy. For example, I know a woman who is currently pregnant and she is going to do HypnoBirthing when she gives birth in a couple of weeks as an alternative to receiving an epidural. According to Sierra Tzoore (2014), “hypnosis is a state of deep mental and physical relaxation that enables the hypnotized person to focus intensely on a thought or feeling, blocking outside distractions.” She has been taking classes that teach her how to hypnotize herself, so when she is in labor and gives birth, she can ease the pain from labor without the use of drugs. A theory from labor says that when a woman feels scared or anxious during childbirth, her body releases stress hormones that trigger the body’s flight or fight response, which causes the muscles to tighten and gets in the way of the birthing process. So by training the mind to a develop a positive outlook on their pregnancy, it will release “feel-good” hormones that relaxes the muscles, so pain is less evident or not evident at all (Tzoore, 2014). Most perinatal deaths and long-term neurological handicaps are prevalent in preterm infants, and late-preterm infants (34-36 weeks) have increased death rates and have increased rates of respiratory distress syndrome, apnea, transient tachypnea of the newborn, hypoglycemia, hypothermia, hyperbilirubinemia and feeding difficulties versus infants that are born at term (Reinhard, Huesken-Janben, Hatzmann, and Schiermeier, 2009). There are interventions such as regionalized care, and treatment with antenatal corticosteroids, tocolytic agents and antibiotics to help reduce the problems with preterm birth (Reinhard, Huesken-Janben, H.

1. RUNNING HEAD: PREGNANCY & HYPNOSIS 1
Pregnancy and Hypnosis 2
Pregnancy and Hypnosis
Western Oregon University
HE 381 Mind/Body Health
April 28, 2014

2. Pregnancy and Hypnosis
“Hypnosis has been used in obstetrics for than a century”
(Martin, Schauble, Rai, and Curry, 2001). Everyone experiences
stress everyday, both good and bad. However, adding pregnancy
in the mix can make stress more dangerous for both the mother
and the child. Everyone experiences and perceives stress
differently; some events of pregnancy can be perceived
negatively when other events are looked at in a positive manner.
Dr. Calvin Hobel (2014) called stress a “silent disease”.
Werner, Uldbjerg, Zachariae, Wu, and Nohr (2013) stated that
childbirth is one of the most intense and demanding events that
a woman is likely to go through, requiring not only physical but
also psychological resources to deal with the labor process. The
childbirth experience can be influenced by various factors,
including unexpected medical problems, emergency operative
delivery, low levels of support from partner or caregivers, pain,
and loss of control. The woman’s own anticipation about the
upcoming childbirth have also been found to influence the
subsequent birth (Nohr, 2013).
There are many different ways to deal with stress during
pregnancy. For example, I know a woman who is currently
pregnant and she is going to do HypnoBirthing when she gives
birth in a couple of weeks as an alternative to receiving an
epidural. According to Sierra Tzoore (2014), “hypnosis is a

3. state of deep mental and physical relaxation that enables the
hypnotized person to focus intensely on a thought or feeling,
blocking outside distractions.” She has been taking classes that
teach her how to hypnotize herself, so when she is in labor and
gives birth, she can ease the pain from labor without the use of
drugs. A theory from labor says that when a woman feels scared
or anxious during childbirth, her body releases stress hormones
that trigger the body’s flight or fight response, which causes the
muscles to tighten and gets in the way of the birthing process.
So by training the mind to a develop a positive outlook on their
pregnancy, it will release “feel-good” hormones that relaxes the
muscles, so pain is less evident or not evident at all (Tzoore,
2014).
Most perinatal deaths and long-term neurological handicaps are
prevalent in preterm infants, and late-preterm infants (34-36
weeks) have increased death rates and have increased rates of
respiratory distress syndrome, apnea, transient tachypnea of the
newborn, hypoglycemia, hypothermia, hyperbilirubinemia and
feeding difficulties versus infants that are born at term
(Reinhard, Huesken-Janben, Hatzmann, and Schiermeier, 2009).
There are interventions such as regionalized care, and treatment
with antenatal corticosteroids, tocolytic agents and antibiotics
to help reduce the problems with preterm birth (Reinhard,
Huesken-Janben, Hatzmann, and Schiermeier, 2009).
An alternative intervention is hypnotherapy, which can play a
significant part in decreasing preterm labor for patients who
have higher levels of psychosocial stress (Reinhard, Huesken-
Janben, Hatzmann, and Schiermeier, 2009). The use of hypnosis
during preterm labor can be beneficial because it controls
psychosocial stress, teaches women to be more aware of their
contractions, causes relaxation that reduces side effects from
drugs and muscle contractions, social support, and women are
using imagery to focus on a healthy infant (Reinhard, Huesken-
Janben, Hatzmann, and Schiermeier, 2009). The study
conducted by Reinhard, Huesken-Janben, Hatzmann, and
Schiermeier (2009), found “a reduction of chemo-analgesis,

4. fear, tension, and pain before and during labor, control of
painful uterine contraction, speedier recovery and fulfilled
feeling of accomplishment.”
Another study compared using hypnosis and not using hypnosis
with women who had a surgically induced first-trimester
pregnancy termination. Those that chose not to participate in
hypnotherapy chose to do so because they were skeptic, didn’t
want the accompaniment of the hypnotherapist, and were too
worried about the abortion. The results found that patients who
underwent hypnosis found that using imagery (by picturing
being in a secure place) and listening and focusing on the
hypnotherapist’s voice helped with the procedure (Marc et al,
2009). In addition, those under hypnosis could go back to doing
their regular activities after they left the hospital, while those
who didn’t have hypnotherapy had to decrease their normal
activities after they left the hospital (Marc et al, 2009).
There are also mind-body programs that have been shown to
increase pregnancy rates for those going through in-vitro
fertilization (IVF). If stress management skills are taught, it can
have a positive impact on pregnancy rates. A study by Domar,
Rooney, Wiegand, Orav, Alper, Berger, and Nikolovski (2011),
found that patients who were recommended to start an IVF,
started an mind-body program and had an increased pregnancy
rate.
I think that mindfulness is an important and necessary technique
that pregnant women can use to help their pregnancy and after
giving birth. In a study conducted by Dunn, Hanieh, Roberts,
and Powrie (2012), pregnant women participated in a
mindfulness-based group intervention to determine if there were
declines in depression, stress, and anxiety. The results found
that “teaching mindfulness in the perinatal period seemed to
have the effect of broadening women’s personal repertoire of
coping strategies” (Dunn, Hanieh, Roberts, Powrie, 2012).
Pregnancy is a short time in a woman’s life when she is willing
to receive new information and skills to deal with birth and
parenting, so childbirth preparation classes should integrate

5. mindfulness training, so that other women can learn and develop
skills that can help them better cope with their pregnancy
(Dunn, Hanieh, Roberts, Powrie, 2012). All of these findings
suggest that hypnotherapy is beneficial because women are
focusing on the positive and breathing. They are aware of what
is happening to them, so their body isn’t going into shock, thus
their labors or surgeries are a lot more peaceful and easier to
deal with post-labor or post-surgery.
Both conventional and alternative methods are effective in
coping with stress during and after pregnancy, but I think that
the alternative methods are the most beneficial because if
women just keep practicing our skills in breathing, or if they
rest and get exercise, ultimately stress will reduce.
Hypnotherapy is a prevention therapy that can help in reducing
late-preterm delivery, during labor, and first trimester
pregnancy, and it is also side effect free! It can be used with
conventional medicine to help reduce the side effects of the
medication as well. “Pregnant women need to be educated in
recognizing when they have stress, the consequences and some
of the simple things they can do to make a difference” (Hobel,
2014).
References
Domar, A., Rooney, K., Wiegand, B., Orav, E.J., Alper, M.M.,
Berger, B.M., Nikolovski, J. (2011). Impact of a group
mind/body intervention on pregnancy rates in IVF patients.
Fertility & Sterility, 95(7): 2269-2273.
Dunn, C., Hanieh, E., Roberts, R., and Powrie, R. (2012).
Mindful pregnancy and childbirth: Effects of a mindfulness-
based intervention on women’s psychological distress and
well being in the perinatal period. Arch Womens Ment Health,

6. 15: 139-143. DOI 10.1007/s00737-012-0264-4.
Hobel, C. (2014). Fetus to mom: You’re stressing me out.
Retrieved April 29, 2014 from
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey
=51730.
Marc, I.,Rainville, P., Masse, B., Dufresne, A.,Verreault, R.,
Vaillancourt, L., and Dodin, S. (2009). Women’s views
regarding hypnosis for the control of surgical pain in the
context of a randomized clinical trial. Journal of Women’s
Health, 18(9): 1441-1447. DOI: 10.1089=jwh.2008.1015.
Martin, A.A., Schauble, P.G., Rai, S.H., and Curry, W. (2001).
The effects of hypnosis on the labor processes and birth
outcomes of pregnant adolescents. The Journal of Family
Practice, 50(5): 441-443.
Reinhard, T., Huesken-Janben, H., Hatzmann, H., and
Schiermeier, S. (2009). Preterm labour and clinical
hypnosis. Contemp. Hypnosis, 26(4): 187-193. DOI:
10.1002/ch.387
Rochman, B. (2011). Mind-body programs boost pregnancy
rates for IVF patients. Time. Retrieved April 29, 2014 from
http://healthland.time.com/2011/05/17/mind-body- programs-
boost-pregnancy-rates-for-ivf-patients/
Tzoore, S. (2014). Hypnosis for labor: Does hypnobirthing
work? Retrieved April 29, 2014 from
http://www.babycenter.com/0_hypnosis-for-labor-does-
hypnobirthing-work_10351603.bc.
Werner, A., Uldbjerg, N., Zachariae, R., Wu, C.S., and Nohr, E.
(2013). Antenatal hypnosis training and childbirth
experience: A randomized controlled trial. Birth, 40(4): 272-
280.
HE 381 Mind/Body Health Midterm Paper
Introduction:
The problem/issue, disease or illness you are
examining/exploring. Why it

7. is a concern to the individual and/or society and why it merits
examination.
Literature Review:
Review what others have found and reported on already
(researchers, authors, practitioners). Minimum of three peer
reviewed journal articles from academic databases and/or other
credible resources.
Finding:
What you have found related to topic from all sources. Will
include personal experience, opinion and other findings from
literature and research and possibly interviews or surveys.
Discussion :
What may be beneficial or necessary for individuals or society
to do if they have concerns in this particular or related areas of
health. This may include how Western approaches compare with
Eastern medicine views and how they vary or parallel in terms
of diagnosis and treatment.
Summary and Conclusion:
To bring more focus on what you believe to be a beneficial
approach to dealing with problem. May be a combination of
Eastern and Western ways. Don’t be afraid to speculate and
make recommendations, especially with regards to lifestyle
changes.
Reference:
Cite all reference materials in APA style and give credit where
credit is due.
The following are helpful web sites for APA:
http://www.apastyle.org/faqs.html
http://www.psychwww.com/mtsite/tmmeetng.html
http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/DocAPA.html
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_apa.html

8. Narratives
African-American Rhetoric in the
American Revolutionary War
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q49NOyJ8fNA
Cyrus Bustill
Baker, educator, entrepreneur, abolitionist, leader in the free
African community in Philadelphia.
First African American school teacher in Philadelphia, 1776.
Bustill’s speech was delivered:
In 1787
In Philadelphia
To a group of slaves
Walking the Tightrope
Like many African-American preachers of the time, he had to
walk a rhetorical tightrope by:
Speaking defiantly enough to engage listener, yet not enough to
alarm slaveholders or the authorities.
Making clear his opposition to slavery, yet insisting that slaves
must take no action to liberate themselves (p. 20).

9. What does he preach?
He preaches love, the antithesis of slavery and racism.
love for one another
A love without distinction
Love that will leave the marks of peace and love: kindness,
respect, regard, forbearance, sufferance, moderation,
moderation, and gentleness, sobriety and meekness.
On Slavery
He implies divine destruction for slave owners since the “Great
Maker” sees all (p. 23).
In due time, he argues, God, in his mercy, would liberate all
slaves (p. 20)
Bustill asks men:
For sobriety
To “walk worthy”
And to “conduct ourselves as men” (p. 25)
Black Churches
During the Revolution and early America we see:
Methodist, Baptist, and Episcopal black churches became a safe
haven for African-Americans amidst slavery.
Resistance rhetoric came in the form of clergy members and
their sermons.
Church Freedom Rights

10. It was key for slave masters to forbid African-Americans church
freedom rights, to avoid political organization:
Master forbid slaves from going to church
Opposition came from both slave masters and northern white
clergy
Freedom had to be “sober and orderly”
By 1831 black preaching was illegal!
Next Class
Based on our lecture, the course readings, and personal
experiences, students will write and submit their own summary
and reflection on our readings regarding African American
Rhetoric. There is not necessarily a "right" answer for this
assignment, instead students will be graded on completeness,
spelling, grammar, and format.
*3 of 10 Weekly Reading Summaries and Reflections. (1 page
typed, double-spaced, 12 point font)
Due before 11:00 am on Thursday
Grassroots Activism
Let’s try and build on what we talked about last week:
Declaration of Independence: permanent revolution
Constitution: consolidated state power
Bill of Rights: norms of citizens
African American Revolutionary War Rhetoric: grassroots
activism
Grassroots activism becomes the fourth pillar of citizenship.

11. Narrative Paradigm Theory
The Narrative
A narrative is a story
Theory based on the fact that humans are “storytelling animals”
Humans use stories to effectively impact others in
communication (Griffin, p. 327).
For centuries, before print and digital capabilities, humans had
to tell stories to pass on information.
Narrative Cont.
As humans, we’ve all seen and experienced this theory in
action.
When we visit old friends, we “catch up” with one another by
telling stories of our lives-lived.
Sometimes we tell the same stories over and over.
We often see public speakers use stories for impact in their
speech presentations
Narrative Rationality
The narrative theory and power of the story is rooted in
narrative rationality.
Rationality includes:
Narrative probability
Narrative fidelity

12. Narrative probability
The probability of a story is:
The characteristics that make something a “good story.”
“follow-ability, completeness, believability” of a story (Hart, p.
92).
The coherence of a story, or how the story “hangs together”
(Griffin, p. 328).
The story is probable, we have details, facts.
Narrative Fidelity
The fidelity of a story is:
The “reliability and truthfulness” of a story (Hart, p. 92).
When a story “rings true” with the hearer’s experiences.
Representative of our character and societal and cultural values
(Griffin, p. 328).
Narrative and African American Rhetoric
The African American rhetoric we’re studying this week is full
of narratives.
Example: Black Clergy Readings tells the story of African
American citizenship, Philadelphia, and local activism.
Leaders of the black Philadelphia community Allen and Jones
organized to assist the city with the 1793 Yellow Fever
outbreak and in 1814 when the British were threatening
Philadelphia.

13. Probability and Fidelity Cont.
The story has narrative probability because it is believable, we
have dates, facts and other publications who verify the black
community’s heroic support to the city in this crisis.
The story has narrative fidelity, or rings true, because this story
makes sense with what we know to be the Civil Rights struggle
in our country.