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Revisiting Maternal Perinatal Depression: The Critical Role of Cultural Context

Uriko K · 18 Sept 2026

Abstract

Abstract This study examines the role of cultural context in mental health to enhance the prevention and management of maternal perinatal depression. Although mental ill-health has been a focus of interest for years, this attention has largely overlooked maternal perinatal depression in the context of cultural variations. Culture functions as a symbolic framework that mediates developmental transitions and shapes coping mechanisms, help-seeking behaviors, clinician interactions, and healthcare navigation. Addressing these dynamics is critical, given that the perinatal period is not only a time of heightened vulnerability to severe depressive morbidity, but also a foundational determinant of long-term health and well-being for the child, the mother, and family members. Expanding the scope of research and clinical practice to include cultural context and cultural protective factors alongside psychopathological challenges is essential for optimizing maternal, child, and family health outcomes.