- Perinatal mental health disorders are common and a leading cause of maternal mortality, disproportionately affecting BIPOC due to structural racism and social determinants.
- Psychological frameworks that integrate sociopolitical and cultural contexts are underutilised, limiting responsive and effective perinatal mental health care for BIPOC individuals.
- The PERI Model reframes perinatal mental health as a liberatory intergenerational process across Practice, Emancipation, Resistance, and Intergenerational Hope, centring justice and collective flourishing.
Health Equity. 2026 May 9;10:24731242261448661. doi: 10.1177/24731242261448661. eCollection 2026 Jan-Dec.
ABSTRACT
Perinatal mental health disorders are among the most common complications of pregnancy and childbirth and represent a leading cause of maternal mortality in the United States. Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC) are disproportionately affected, reflecting the impact of structural racism, inequitable care, and broader social determinants of health. While medical and public health frameworks have advanced important strategies to address these inequities, psychological perspectives accounting for sociopolitical and cultural contexts remain underutilized, limiting responsive and effective mental health care for BIPOC individuals. We introduce the PERI Model of Radical Healing to reframe perinatal mental health equity as a liberatory and intergenerational process. This model emphasizes four interconnected domains: Practice, Emancipation, Resistance, and Intergenerational Hope. It positions perinatal mental health not only as the reduction of pathology but as a source of justice, dignity, and collective flourishing.
PMID:42534678 | PMC:PMC13421912 | DOI:10.1177/24731242261448661
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