Mental Health Challenges During the Perinatal Period and Preventive Midwifery Approaches

Cyprus Turkish Journal of Psychiatry & Psychology, Early View

Published Online: 03 July 2026, Doi:10.35365/ctjpp.26.3.13

 REVIEW ARTICLE / DERLEME YAZISI

Mental Health Challenges During the Perinatal Period and Preventive Midwifery Approaches

Perinatal Dönemde Ruh Sağlığı Güçlükleri ve Koruyucu Ebelik Yaklaşımları

Buse Alış¹ , Vildan Balcı² , Gözde Gökçe İşbir³ 

Abstract:

This narrative review aims to examine mental health problems observed during the perinatal period and to evaluate the preventive roles of midwives. The perinatal period is a critical transitional phase characterized by intense biological, psychological, and social changes, during which emerging mental health problems affect both maternal and infant outcomes. A literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, TR Index, and Google Scholar for English and Turkish studies published between January 2010 and October 2025. A total of 50 peer-reviewed studies meeting the inclusion criteria were analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings indicate that the most common perinatal mental health problems are anxiety, depression, fear of childbirth, and birth-related trauma. An increasing trend in the prevalence of these conditions has been observed in the post-pandemic period. Evidence highlights that woman-centered and continuity-based midwifery models play a critical role in early risk identification, provision of psychosocial support, and appropriate referral processes. However, significant gaps remain in midwives’ mental health literacy, the standardized use of screening tools, and referral systems. In conclusion, integrating mental health–sensitive midwifery practices into routine maternal healthcare, supported by structured screening–referral–follow-up mechanisms, interdisciplinary collaboration, and strengthened education programs, can lead to sustainable improvements in maternal and infant health outcomes.

Keywords: Mental health, Perinatal period, Well-being, Midwifery.

¹Sinop University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Midwifery, Sinop, Türkiye.

²Tarsus State Hospital, Mersin, Türkiye.

³Mersin University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Midwifery, Mersin, Türkiye.

Address of Correspondence/Yazışma Adresi: Buse Alış, Sinop University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Midwifery, Sinop, Türkiye. E-mail: [email protected].

Date of Received/Geliş Tarihi: 07.10.2025, Date of Revision/Düzeltme Tarihi: 29.04.2026, Date of Acceptance/Kabul Tarihi: 29.04.2026, Date of Online Publication/Çevirimiçi Yayın Tarihi: 03.07.2026

Citing/Referans Gösterimi: Alış, B., Balcı, V., & İşbir, G. G. (2026). Mental health challenges during the perinatal period and preventive midwifery approaches. Cyprus Turkish Journal of Psychiatry & Psychology, 1-8, Doi:10.35365/ctjpp.26.3.13.

© 2026 The Author(s). Published by Cyprus Mental Health Institute / Cyprus Turkish Journal of Psychiatry and Psychology (www.ktppdergisi.com). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/