Overview
Maternal mental health encompasses the psychological and emotional well-being of women across the reproductive continuum, from preconception through pregnancy and the postpartum period. It addresses the spectrum of perinatal mental-health conditions, most prominently antenatal and postpartum depression and anxiety, but also stress, perinatal mood and adjustment difficulties, and, less commonly, severe disorders such as postpartum psychosis. These conditions arise from an interplay of hormonal and neurobiological changes, prior psychiatric history, psychosocial stressors, social support, and beliefs and expectations surrounding motherhood. Maternal mental health is consequential not only for the woman but for pregnancy outcomes, mother-infant attachment, child development, and family functioning, making screening, prevention, and timely intervention central public-health priorities. Care models range from psychological and behavioral therapies to community-based and integrated maternal-and-child-health approaches, often delivered by health workers in varied resource settings. Research relevant to this area examines the relationship between postpartum depression and beliefs about motherhood and perfectionism during pregnancy, the implementation of maternal and child health care by community health workers, preconception care knowledge and practice, and the broader determinants of maternal and infant health. The journal publishes peer-reviewed research in Women's Reproductive Health, addressing the psychological dimensions of the perinatal period, their determinants, and strategies to support maternal well-being and healthy outcomes for mothers and children.
Research published in this journal
12 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
Perceived Barriers and Facilitators to Implementation of Maternal and Child Health Care by Community Health Workers in Rwanda: A Qualitative Study
The Relationship Between Postpartum Depression and Beliefs About Motherhood and Perfectionism During Pregnancy
Knowledge And Practice of Preconception Care Among Women of Reproductive-Age in Bheerkot Municipality, Nepal
Rate, Maternal and Fetal Outcome of Cesarean Delivery Performed by IESO at Shenen Gibe General Hospital, Jimma South West Ethiopia: A Descriptive Retrospective Data
Level of Antenatal Care Services Utilization and Associated Factors Among Mothers who have Given Birth in the Past Twelve Months in Gelemso Town, West Hararghe Zone, Oromia National Regional State, East Ethiopia
Improving Confidence in Obstetric Skills with Basic and Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics® Training in Ethiopia: A Pre/post Study
Support Needs of Indian Women in Early Labour
Below What Hemoglobin Concentration in Pregnancy is there an Increased Risk of Maternal or Fetal Adverse Effects?
Horizontal Inequities in the uptake of Hospital Delivery and the Role of Social Determinants in China
A Feasibility Study of A Home-Based Program to Promote Perceived Adequate Milk
Coping with Pregnancy in Academic Environment: Experiences of Pregnant Students in A Public University in Ghana
How this research is being cited
The 12 articles above have been cited 63 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
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2026 · Discover Social Science and Health
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Mohammad Ardat et al. · 2025 · Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health Reports
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2025 · Birth
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2025 ·
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2025 · British Journal of Sociology of Education
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2025 · BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
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2025 · BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
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2025 · African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine
A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Maternal Mental Health, linking to each citing work.