Is It Possible to Prove the Effect of Prenatal Education, 'Taegyo'?

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: 'Taegyo,' prenatal education, is steeped into Korean culture. Although there has been a traditional focus on providing education and care for the fetus in Korea, there is a lack of medical evidence for its effectiveness. METHODS: The authors assessed the scientific basis for 'Taegyo' by reviewing the evidences. RESULTS: 'Taegyo' in Korea began with the spread of Buddhist culture from China, and transmitted by word-of-mouth. The first 'Taegyo' book, the Tae-gyo-shin-gi, was published on 1803. Modern prenatal education is very diverse. However, only a few studies on its effect have been conducted. Development of medicine, especially obstetrics, fetology, pediatrics, psychiatry, and etc., has learned that many factors, including bad environmental conditions and maternal stress, influenced against the fetus and mother. As for the paternal side, occupation, smoking, and stress were also revealed to have consequences for the development of the fetus. On the contrary, adequate maternal nutrition, exercise, and music stimulation positively impact the fetal development and healthy birth. CONCLUSION: Traditional contents of 'Taegyo' were proved to have effectiveness from evidence-based medicine and animal experiments. We need further studies to explore the impact of prenatal education for the fetal development and maternal health.