Advances in Maternal and Family Mental Health: Relational, Clinical, and Systemic Approaches Across the Reproductive and Perinatal Spectrum
A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Global Health".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 27 February 2026 | Viewed by 28
Special Issue Editors
Interests: clinical and health psychology; stressful life events and mental and physical health outcomes particularly in the area of women's reproductive health
2. Divison Newborn Medicine, Mass General for Children, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
Interests: mind–body and resiliency interventions for medical populations; families coping with stressful reproductive life events; multidisciplinary and integrative care for medical settings
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue highlights emerging research, clinical innovations, and systemic strategies addressing mental health across the reproductive and perinatal spectrum. We invite submissions that examine maternal and family mental health in the context of infertility, fertility treatment, pregnancy, pregnancy loss, birth trauma, postpartum experiences, and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) hospitalizations.
Recognizing that reproductive and perinatal mental health is relational, we encourage work that includes infants, partners, co-parents, and caregivers; explores attachment, parent–infant interaction, and couple communication; and examines dyadic and family-centered approaches to care. We welcome interdisciplinary research addressing prevention, early identification, intervention, and policy reform.
Sample topics of interest include the following:
- Psychosocial outcomes related to reproductive health;
- Screening and diagnostic advancements;
- Integration of mental health in obstetric, neonatal, and pediatric care;
- Healthcare professionals’ perspectives and implementation barriers;
- Behavioral, pharmacological, and community-based interventions;
- Innovative models (e.g., technology-enabled, culturally tailored, dyadic/triadic);
- Social determinants and health disparities;
- Trauma-informed care and adverse experiences;
- Biopsychosocial, cultural, gender-related, and intergenerational risk/protection.
This Special Issue aims to foster cross-disciplinary dialogue among researchers, clinicians, and policymakers and advocates advancing holistic, equitable, and evidence-informed care. We welcome qualitative, quantitative, mixed-methods, implementation science, reviews, policy commentaries, and community-based work.
Prof. Dr. Pamela A. Geller
Dr. Victoria Grunberg
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- perinatal
- mental health
- maternal health
- infertility
- pregnancy
- postpartum
- birth trauma
- neonatal intensive care unit
- reproduction
- psychosocial
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
