ISPPM Annual Conference Oct 30 – Nov 1, 2026

Topic: Oxy­to­cin — Neu­ro­bio­lo­gy of Birth and Bon­ding in the Field of Ten­si­on bet­ween Psy­cho­the­ra­peu­tic Oppor­tu­ni­ty and Misu­se as Birth Inter­ven­ti­on

Oxy­to­cin is a key hor­mo­ne of our neu­ro­tro­pic sys­tem, which signi­fi­cant­ly regu­la­tes and har­mo­ni­zes cen­tral are­as of our social com­pe­tence, our capa­ci­ty for bon­ding and love, sexua­li­ty, pain regu­la­ti­on, and other important bodi­ly func­tions. Oxy­to­cin is a mes­sen­ger of love, hap­pi­ness, bon­ding, clo­sen­ess, and peace. The­re are many reasons to pro­tect this hor­mo­ne.

Howe­ver, oxy­to­cin is also an important hor­mo­ne in the regu­la­ti­on of birth. During the expul­si­on peri­od, it ensu­res a firm mus­cle tone of the ute­ri­ne wall, against which the child can move out. It alle­via­tes the pain of child­birth for the birt­hing per­son, making the other­wi­se unbe­ara­ble tole­ra­ble. After birth, it cau­ses the ute­rus to con­tract, ther­eby pre­ven­ting post­par­tum hemor­rha­ge. It streng­thens the bond bet­ween mother and child and enables breast­fee­ding.

Unfort­u­na­te­ly, the con­trac­tion-pro­mo­ting pro­per­ties of oxy­to­cin have been and con­ti­nue to be misu­s­ed as a birth inter­ven­ti­on to indu­ce labor and acce­le­ra­te the birth pro­cess. In doing so, the high­ly sen­si­ti­ve mecha­nisms of oxy­to­cin release and the risk of down­re­gu­la­ti­on of the recep­tor sys­tem in mother and child have been unde­re­sti­ma­ted, despi­te deca­des of available data – with serious con­se­quen­ces for bon­ding and breast­fee­ding.

The 38th Annu­al Con­fe­rence of the ISPPM is aimed at all pro­fes­sio­nal groups working in psy­cho­the­ra­py and body the­ra­py, bon­ding pro­mo­ti­on, and obste­trics. It is enti­re­ly dedi­ca­ted to the diver­se aspects of the use of oxy­to­cin as a bon­ding-pro­mo­ting hor­mo­ne and the misu­se of an important resour­ce for our phy­si­cal, psy­cho­so­cial, and sexu­al health.

Look for­ward to lec­tures, sym­po­sia, and a panel dis­cus­sion with our inter­na­tio­nal spea­k­ers: Op. Dr. Hakan Coker (Spe­cia­list in Gyneco­lo­gy and Obste­trics, Tur­key), Esther Göbel (Mid­wi­fe), Prof. Dr. med Sven Hil­de­brandt (Prof. of Gyneco­lo­gy and Obste­trics), Dr. med. Lud­wig Janus (Psy­cho­anal. Psy­cho­the­ra­pist), Nese Kara­be­kir (Birth Psy­cho­the­ra­pist, Tur­key), Prof. Dr. med. C. Albrecht May (Prof. of Ana­to­my), Prof. Dr. rer. med. Chris­tia­ne Schwarz (Prof. of Mid­wi­fery Sci­ence), Prof. Dr. sc. Kata­lin Var­ga (Hun­ga­ry), and others.

Fur­ther infor­ma­ti­on to fol­low

Par­ti­ci­pa­ti­on via Zoom with trans­la­ti­on is also plan­ned.

Con­ti­nuing edu­ca­ti­on cre­dits for mid­wi­ves and phy­si­ci­ans will be reques­ted.

Fri­day: 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM Work­shops

Fri­day: 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM Gene­ral Assem­bly

Fri­day: 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM Ope­ning of the Con­fe­rence

Satur­day: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM Lec­tures, Sym­po­sia

Satur­day: 7:30 PM Fes­ti­ve Evening

Sun­day: 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM Sym­po­si­um, Fish­bowl, End: approx. 1:30 PM

Sun­day: 3:00 PM – 6:30 PM Work­shops

Tickets and fur­ther infor­ma­ti­on here: https://isppm.ngo/tagung-2026/