Author Name: – Aditi Mathur , Medha Khosla, and Dr Smriti Sethi / Date:- December 2023
Abstract
The perinatal period encompassing pregnancy and the postpartum phase is a critical juncture in every woman’s life that can significantly influence mental health and well-being across cultures. The secondary research paper aims to comprehensively study the interplay between social- cultural factors and perinatal mothers’ mental health outcomes. By achieving the objectives of analyzing social support networks, unraveling cultural influences, and also further examining the impact of societal stigma, it has been concluded from past research that there is a deep impact of social constructs on women’s mental health. Every woman has to encounter the influence of varied aspects such as patriarchy, the family system, the pressure of roles and responsibility in marriage, the desire for male offspring by in-laws, the stringent code of behavior for being a daughter in law and the primary responsibilities of parenting her children. The social dynamics have also been undertaken to analyze the effect of sub-cultural characteristics of race, religion, caste, creed in Indian culture on the health and wellbeing of perinatal women. The review of research studies identifies certain cultural practices, community support systems, and other social-cultural challenges that affect parental mental health. The study further offers valuable insights for healthcare providers and researchers to develop more effective strategies for supporting the mental health and well-being of pregnant and perinatal mothers. The studies suggest that collaborating with experts in various fields like anthropology, sociology, psychology and public health can contribute to the development of effective interventions tailored to the unique needs and experiences of different cultures.
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