Background: Culture is a universal phenomenon, but most interest about culture during pregnancy has focused on medical care, neglecting psychological aspects of normative development. Objective: The purpose of this article was to examine normative gestational experiences using the framework of a broaden and build model of culture, positive pregnancy, and youth development. Methods: The review involved 43 studies, books, and book chapters (1981-2013) obtained from electronic databases, focusing on parental attitudes, available care, parental expectations, cultural values, and nutrition likely to affect the unborn. Results: Several protective factors emerged, such as positive expectations, early prenatal care, protective cultural values, appropriate nutrition, sensitive health care providers, and interdependent, supportive relationships; the absence of some of these protective factors predicted prenatal, perinatal or postnatal complications, likely to affect the health and mental health of youth. Conclusions: The review's findings are congruent with theoretical propositions. Positive feelings and expectations broaden prenatal care, adequate nutrition and avoidance of substance use. In turn, these positive activities help build social support and interdependent relationships that promote maternal and infant health, in the context of protective cultural norms.