Life before birth: A thematic analysis of memories of coming into life. Part 2: Recollections of fetal life and birth.
International Journal of Transpersonal Studies February 17, 2022 DOI: 10.24972/ijts.2022.41.1.112 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 68 |
| Population | People who submitted 'earliest memory' narratives to an independent website and claimed to remember events prior to and including birth |
| Key findings | The authors argue that a subset of 'earliest memory' narratives describes life in the womb, birth, and apparently veridical out-of-body or paranormal impressions of birth events, and that these accounts are congruent with pre- and peri-natal psychology, especially early trauma. They contend that surfacing and resolving such early memories may have greater healing potential than treating later life events. |
Abstract
This article examines a second set of data produced in a thematic analysis of 68 “earliest memory” narratives submitted to an independent website to explore the question: what do people who claim to remember how they came into the world say about their experience prior to and including birth? Part 1 examined the first and largest subset of the data, narratives of an otherworldly existence consistent with Western reincarnation intermission stage 2 experiences, near-death experience accounts and mythic traditions. This article thematically analyzes descriptions of life in the womb, birth, and apparently veridical out-of-body and other paranormal impressions of events surrounding birth, congruent with pre- and peri-natal psychology, especially early trauma. Surfacing and resolving such early memories may have greater potential for healing than treating later life events.