Perinatal mental health is as important as physical health during pregnancy and childbirth, a time of major change in a woman's life. Good perinatal mental health contributes to the promotion of the physical and mental health of infants, as well as to the promotion of the physical condition of mothers themselves and natural childbirth.

Perinatal psychological problems encompass a spectrum of mental health challenges experienced by women during pregnancy and the postpartum period. These issues extend beyond mere personal distress, impacting various facets of maternal, neonatal, and familial well-being. Research has consistently demonstrated that untreated perinatal psychological distress can exacerbate obstetric and neonatal complications, compromise the mother-infant bond, impede healthy child development, and undermine psychological resilience across the lifespan.

This Research Topic is dedicated to studies exploring depression, anxiety, stress, and fear among pregnant and postpartum women. We aim to elucidate the analysis of existing knowledge and empirical data, including models, theories, and variables that will help us increase our analysis of the mental health of perinatal women. To provide a basis for improving the mental health of women in the perinatal period and to facilitate the development of preventive and intervention measures.

In light of these psychological and/or psychiatric perspectives, various types of studies are encouraged:

1. Exploring trajectories of psychological change, risk, and protective factors contributing to depression (or anxiety or stress or fear) among perinatal women.

2. Analyzing the factors and theories of depression (or anxiety or stress or fear) in women during pregnancy and childbirth from the perspective of qualitative research.

3. Exploring psychosocial models of depression (or anxiety or stress or fear) in different cultural contexts.

4. Exploring the dichotomous relationship perspective (e.g., spouse or caregiver), factors influencing maternal depression (or anxiety or stress or fear), and theoretical modeling analysis.

5. Researching the effects of perinatal depression (or anxiety or stress or fear) on the fetus (or newborn), and family.

6. Research of interventions to improve perinatal depression (or anxiety or stressor fear).

Overall, by encouraging diverse types of studies within this Research Topic, there is an opportunity to deepen our understanding of perinatal mental health and develop targeted interventions that promote the well-being of both mothers and their families.

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Frontiers in Psychiatry

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