Social and cultural factors in perinatal mental health

Abstract This chapter explores the social and cultural factors that contribute to the perinatal mental health of women in diverse settings. It also includes the various risk factors for poor perinatal mental health such as psychological and psychiatric risk factors, obstetric risk factors, and social risk factors, including intimate partner violence and trauma. How family, traditional practices during pregnancy and the postpartum period serve as a risk, as well as a protective factor, for women who experience perinatal or postpartum depression or anxiety is also discussed. Explanatory models to understand the impact of trauma on peripartum mental health and sociocultural determinants of help-seeking behaviours is also presented. The chapter concludes by discussing several prevention interventions that have been proven to be successful in improving perinatal mental health in women worldwide.