"Experience Prenatal Education in the Forest"... Geumcheon District Recruiting Participants for 'Forest Prenatal Education Program'

Applications Open for Pregnant Women and Spouses Until October 31

Geumcheon District in Seoul (Mayor Yoo Seonghun) is now recruiting participants for the "2025 Second Half Forest Prenatal Education Program," which will be held from next month until early November. Eligible applicants are pregnant women in Geumcheon District who are between 16 and 32 weeks of pregnancy, as well as their spouses.

A scene of forest yoga from the forest prenatal education program in the first half of this year. Provided by Geumcheon District.

The district operates the forest prenatal education program to support residents in having a happy childbirth. Forests emit beneficial substances for the human body, such as phytoncides, terpenes, and negative ions, which help alleviate stress and anxiety in pregnant women. They also promote bonding with the fetus, contributing to a healthy pregnancy and childbirth.

The program takes place at the Hoamsan Healing Forest Prenatal Education Center and is led by a team of professional instructors, including forest healing guides, forest interpreters, and forest prenatal education instructors. Participants can experience a variety of themed activities such as "Forest Sound Prenatal Education," "Forest Color Prenatal Education," "Forest Craft Prenatal Education," and "Forest Dialogue Prenatal Education." These include forest walks, forest yoga, and making eco-friendly prenatal items (such as wooden phone speakers, floral pouches for fetal items, and forest-scented sachets).

The second half program consists of 12 sessions in total: 4 weekday (Wednesday) sessions and 8 weekend sessions, with each session lasting 2 hours. Participation is completely free of charge. Applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis through the Seoul City Pregnancy and Childbirth Information Center website until October 31 of this year. In the first half of this year, a total of 18 sessions were held, with 193 pregnant women and their spouses participating, receiving a very positive response.

An official from the Geumcheon District Public Health Center stated, "A positive childbirth experience through the forest prenatal education program plays an important role in reducing the psychological burden of future childbirths," and added, "We will continue our efforts so that more pregnant women can enjoy a healthy and happy prenatal experience."

Yoo Seonghun, Mayor of Geumcheon District, said, "We are planning to offer forest healing programs and sensory-focused forest prenatal education programs at the Hoamsan Healing Forest Prenatal Education Center," and added, "We will continue to provide a variety of programs to support the healthy and happy lives of our residents."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.