Introduction In Philadelphia there are racial disparities in health outcomes during the perinatal period, such that Black infants and their parents experience a disproportionately higher burden of poor outcomes compared to their White counterparts. These excess risks are driven at least in part by high rates of poverty and other manifestations of structural racism. The provision of guaranteed income (GI) or unconditional cash payments during and after pregnancy, is a bold and evidence-based approach to advancing equity in financial security and health. The objective of this protocol paper is to describe the community-centered approach to the design of (a) the Philly Joy Bank (PJB), a perinatal GI program in Philadelphia, and (b) the evaluation of PJB’s impact. Methods PJB was conceived by an established coalition of community partners through a collective impact model. Decisions related to the design and implementation of PJB are made through a consensus building process that centers the voices of Lived Experience Experts (i.e., Black birthing people in Philadelphia). Congruent with the community-driven design of PJB, the evaluation of the impact of PJB is grounded in the principles of community-based participatory research and is co-designed by the community. Results The study purpose is to assess the feasibility and acceptability of PJB (Aim 1); to examine whether and how GI affects ability to meet basic needs and parental stress (Aim 2); and to explore the impact of PJB on parental mental health and the preliminary impact on infant prematurity (low birthweight and preterm birth) (Aim 3). Descriptive statistics, mixed effects regression analyses, and participatory qualitative analysis approaches will be used to achieve study aims. Discussion GI is a promising upstream structural intervention to address persistent health inequities during the perinatal period: a critical period of the life course. Understanding if and how GI improves health for birthing people and their infants can inform implementation and policy to advance health equity.

Immigrant mothers face increased risk for perinatal psychiatric disorders, yet their needs are often overlooked. Challenges compounded by migration stress, exclusionary policies, economic hardship, and systemic discrimination remain largely invisible in clinical training, research, and health systems design. The authors explore how immigration status, systemic inequities, and current policies contribute to disparities in care. Using community models, health systems research, and patient narratives, they call for services that reflect the lived realities of immigrant mothers. Recommendations include culturally responsive care, cross-sector collaboration, and policy reform. Centering immigrant mothers' experiences is essential to promoting equity and improving outcomes across the perinatal period.

Pregnancy triggers major cardiovascular adaptations to meet the demands of the growing fetus. While these changes are well tolerated in healthy individuals, they can reveal or exacerbate underlying cardiovascular disease. This mini literature review explores the impact of chronic hypertension and obesity on cardiovascular physiology during and after pregnancy. Both conditions heighten the risk of complications such as heart failure, hypertensive disorders, and long-term cardiovascular disease. Chronic hypertension contributes to structural heart changes and impairs the heart's ability to manage increased volume demands. Obesity promotes inflammation, insulin resistance, and cardiac remodeling, further straining the cardiovascular system. Together, these comorbidities amplify the hemodynamic burden of pregnancy and increase the likelihood of adverse outcomes. Despite these risks, many patients do not receive adequate cardiovascular monitoring or postpartum follow-up. This review highlights the need for early risk assessment, individualized management, and multidisciplinary care to optimize maternal and fetal outcomes. Pregnancy offers a unique opportunity to identify and address cardiovascular risk, with benefits that extend well beyond the perinatal period.

Correlates of paternal anxiety during the perinatal period: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Perinatal use of targeted synthetic DMARDs and maternal-neonatal outcomes in autoimmune disease: A population-based cohort study.

Linking maternal childhood maltreatment to infant socioemotional development through perinatal mental health.

Evaluation of oxidative stress in the newborn foal: a multibiomarker approach.

If left untreated, peripartum depression (PPD) can significantly disrupt mother-infant interactions and is associated with long-term negative consequences for child development. The aim of this article was to systematically review studies examining the underlying neural and physiological markers associated with socioemotional and cognitive development in infants and children exposed to maternal PPD. A literature search was conducted in PubMed, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane databases, covering studies from their inception until July 2024. Six studies were included in this review. Two studies assessed PPD symptoms during pregnancy, two during the postpartum period, and two during both pregnancy and the postpartum period. The findings suggest that the developmental outcomes of the offspring of depressed mothers during the perinatal period may be underpinned by specific correlates of brain activity and psychophysiological functioning-specifically, greater right frontal EEG asymmetry, heightened activation of the amygdala and other paralimbic structures, lower vagal tone, and increased N2 latencies. This review highlights the need for further research in this area.

Trajectories of anxiety and depression and association with pain in the perinatal and postpartum period.

This study aims to examine the relationships among premenstrual syndrome (PMS), fear of childbirth (FOC), and postpartum depression (PPD) in postpartum women, and to test whether FOC mediates the association between PMS and PPD. This multicenter cross-sectional study uses convenience sampling to recruit 815 postpartum women attending their 42-day postpartum check-up at Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong First People's Hospital, and Nantong Maternal and Child Health Hospital from November 2023 to July 2024. Data are collected using a general information questionnaire, Premenstrual Syndrome Scale, Wijma Delivery Experience Questionnaire, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Dyadic Adjustment Scale, and Perceived Social Support Scale. Generalized linear models analyze factors influencing PPD. Correlation analysis, conducted using RStudio, examines relationships among PMS, FOC, and PPD. Multi-group structural equation modeling, with parity as the grouping variable, uses PMS as the independent variable, FOC as the mediator, and PPD as the dependent variable. The significance of the mediating effect is tested using the Bootstrap method. Generalized linear model analysis indicates that age at menarche, dysmenorrhea, planned pregnancy, feeding method, PMS, social support, sleep quality, and marital adjustment significantly predict PPD. Correlation analysis reveals positive correlations among PMS, FOC, and PPD. Multi-group structural equation modelling yields satisfactory model fit indices for both the primiparous and multiparous groups. In the primiparous group, the mediating effect of FOC accounts for 31.03% of the total effect, while in the multiparous group, it accounts for 43.62%. Based on psychological stress theory, this study suggests continuity of emotional vulnerability of reproductive system stress responses across the perinatal period in mental health. The findings highlight the preventive value of targeting PMS to mitigate PPD, offering new insights for developing psychological interventions based on menstrual cycle management. Comprehensive nursing interventions span the entire perinatal period, including pre-pregnancy psychological counseling to alleviate negative emotions, optimizing childbirth experiences to reduce fear, and enhancing postpartum social support to improve maternal mental health, thereby effectively preventing and alleviating PPD.

Research and education on lactation often overlooks the needs and experiences of transgender men and non-binary individuals who are chestfeeding. Support from partners and compassionate, informed healthcare practitioners can significantly enhance their chestfeeding experience. Guided by queer phenomenology, the purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of chestfeeding from the perspectives of transgender men and non-binary people. This qualitative study followed the tenets of interpretive description. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with transgender men and non-binary people in Ontario, Canada, who had recent chestfeeding experiences. Transgender men and non-binary people (N = 8) identified a variety of facilitators and barriers to chestfeeding. Having access to support systems, knowledgeable practitioners who provide gender-affirming care, and bodily autonomy were protective factors through the chestfeeding experience. In addition, planning and preparing for chestfeeding experiences added to positive experiences with chestfeeding. Gender dysphoria and transphobic societal norms were barriers to chestfeeding. The chestfeeding experiences of transgender men and non-binary parents are shaped by the presence or absence of gender-affirming and knowledgeable care. Disorienting experiences, including misgendering and inadequate support, can disrupt lactation and harm well-being, while affirming interactions enhance embodiment and self-advocacy. This study suggests there is a need for inclusive policies, comprehensive provider education, and practices that affirm diverse gender identities across the perinatal period.

This study investigated perinatal depressive symptoms among pregnant and postpartum Filipino women. Cross-sectional survey. The Philippines. Participants were recruited online and face-to-face from maternal care facilities. Perinatal depressive symptoms were assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) score, with prevalence calculated based on ≥13 cut-off, indicating clinically significant symptoms of depression. Patterns of depressive symptoms were examined by demographics, perinatal time period and other obstetric information using adjusted regression coefficients (ab) and risk ratios (aRR). A total of 856 women participated in the study, comprising 356 pregnant and 500 postpartum women. EPDS scores were, on average, similar between pregnant (14.4) and postpartum women (14.1). Using the locally validated cut-off of ≥13 revealed that 69.1% of pregnant and 62.0% of postpartum women reported clinically significant depressive symptoms. Consistent EPDS scores and prevalence were observed across pregnancy trimesters and within 12 months postpartum and beyond. Women who received adequate prenatal care were less likely to experience antenatal (ab=-1.59, 95% CI -3.13 to -0.05) and postpartum (ab=-1.30, 95% CI -2.48 to -0.12) depressive symptoms. Postpartum EPDS scores and depressive symptom prevalence (EPDS score ≥13) were higher among 18-24-year olds (ab=1.96, 95% CI 0.30 to 3.61; aRR=1.23, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.47) and single mothers (ab=3.46, 95% CI 0.22 to 6.71; aRR=1.42, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.90), compared with older and married mothers, respectively. At least 60% Filipino mothers experienced clinically significant perinatal depressive symptoms, which exceeds the established global average of 25%. Younger and single postpartum women were at greater risk, while pregnant and postpartum women who attended adequate prenatal visits were less likely to report depressive symptoms. Our study underscores the need for further research to uncover the true burden of poor perinatal mental health and calls for targeted early interventions and integrative public health strategies to support at-risk mothers, particularly those from socially disadvantaged backgrounds.

Climate change-induced international migration has the potential to negatively impact the health and well-being of displaced populations. Pregnancy often serves as a point of entry into the health care system for migrant women; however, these women often face reduced access to maternal health care services compared to nonmigrants. In the context of climate-related international migration, these disparities may be further exacerbated, increasing the risk of maternal morbidity and adverse perinatal outcomes. While the intersections between climate change, migration, and health are increasingly acknowledged, literature specifically focused on international climate-related migrant women-particularly during the perinatal period-remains limited and dispersed. Thus, there is a growing need for research and synthesized data on climate change, population movements, and the perinatal health care needs of childbearing women. The aim of this study is to examine and describe the scope and nature of available evidence on maternal health and care for international climate-related migrant women, from pregnancy through the postpartum period. We will conduct a scoping review following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. A tailored search strategy using key terms related to climate change, migration, women, and perinatal health care will be applied to four databases-Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Ovid MEDLINE-without restriction on publication date. Relevant gray literature sources will also be searched and considered for inclusion. Only literature published in English, French, Portuguese, or Spanish will be included. Two reviewers will independently screen full-text records based on predefined inclusion criteria and extract the relevant data. A total of 741 studies were screened from 1113 records. Results summarizing perinatal health outcomes and needs, care experiences, barriers faced by international climate-related migrant women, and recommendations will be reported using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) 2020 flow diagram. We anticipate finalizing the manuscript for this work in 2026. Considering vulnerability factors related to migration status is essential to improving access to integrated perinatal health care and reducing health inequities among immigrant women. This review will provide valuable insights to tailor interventions to the social and cultural needs of climate-affected migrant women during the perinatal period.

Severe maternal morbidity is associated with increased risk of cerebral palsy in offspring.

Nurses and midwives are providing care to a culturally diverse society. However, culture is a socially shared view and behavior practiced in a certain society and considered to be dynamic and not universal. This review seeks to analyze and synthesize evidence on cultural aspects of comfort in the perinatal period to provide definition of cultural maternal comfort in nursing and midwifery practice. An integrative review conducted following Whittemore and Knafl. Systematic searches in CINAHL and Scopus databases generated 10 studies for review. After all eligible articles had been identified, data extraction and inductive thematic analysis were performed. The cultural aspect of maternal comfort includes culturally effective communication, culturally supportive environment, cultural practice for physical symptom relief, cultural expectation of functionality, family and community involvement, and cultural safety and security. When health-care professionals, particularly nurses and midwives, understand a woman's cultural background, they promote trust, enhance communication, and ultimately improve childbearing and childbirth experiences.

Olfaction is the primary sensory modality governing maternal behavior in rodents. To meet the demands of maternal care, the brain undergoes extensive and temporally dynamic plasticity during the perinatal period, particularly within the olfactory bulb (OB). However, longitudinal data describing the molecular landscape of the OB across the entire reproductive cycle are currently unavailable. We generated a high-resolution transcriptomic dataset of the mouse OB to map molecular reprogramming events during reproduction. Samples were collected at five strategic time points: non-pregnancy, gestation day 10, parturition, postpartum day 7, and weaning. Using bulk RNA-seq, we constructed a dynamic transcriptomic atlas of the maternal OB. This dataset captures stage-specific gene expression changes associated with neurogenesis, synaptic plasticity, and neuromodulation. This work provides a critical molecular resource to facilitate future research into the adaptive remodeling of the maternal neural circuit.

Antibiotic-induced dysbiosis has been increasingly implicated in a range of pediatric outcomes, yet the concept remains variably defined and often inconsistently applied. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview and critical evaluation of the available data regarding the effects of early-life exposure to β-lactam antibiotics on the developing microbiome. We conducted a narrative review of experimental and epidemiological studies examining β-lactam exposure during pregnancy, the perinatal period, and early childhood was conducted. β-lactams induce reproducible alterations in microbial composition, diversity, and metabolic function, including decreases in Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus and a relative increase in Enterobacteriaceae and other facultative anaerobes, especially in early life. Reduced microbial diversity and changed short-chain fatty acid-producing taxa often accompany these compositional changes. However, associations with immune, metabolic, and neurodevelopmental outcomes are heterogeneous and frequently confounded by indication host-related factors. Evidence for causality in humans remains limited despite strong mechanistic support from animal models. Current data support cautious interpretation, even though β-lactam-associated microbiome perturbations may contribute to disease susceptibility during vulnerable developmental windows. While mechanistic and longitudinal evidence continues to develop, antibiotic stewardship focused on appropriate indication and duration is still crucial.

Introduction: During the perinatal period, many changes occur in a woman's body that can be managed by implementing positive health behaviours.Objectives: The aim of the study was to analyse changes in preventive actions taken to prepare for childbirth and the postpartum period among women giving birth from 2019 to 2025.Materials and methods: The study involved 1,338 women in the early postpartum period, giving birth in the years: 2019 (n=479), 2022/23 (n=564), and 2024/25 (n=295). The research tool was an author's questionnaire concerning, e.g. pelvic floor exercises, incontinence, lactation and perineal massage.Results: In the study, a positive trend was shown in the use of physiotherapy, which increased from 18.3% in 2019 to 38.6% in 2024/25, indicating growing awareness of perinatal physiotherapy. Regardless of the study period, approximately half of women performed pelvic floor muscle exercises, but there was marked improvement in the correct pattern of pelvic floor muscle exercises (2019: 30.1%; 2024/25: 47.3%). Despite one in three women experiencing urinary incontinence, the rate of physiotherapy consultations remained low, although it increased from 11.3% to 30.6%. In preparation for childbirth, nearly half of the women also received perineal massage. Furthermore, as the study progressed, women breastfed more frequently (2019: 76%; 2024/25: 91.9%), which correlated with increased breastfeeding difficulties. Despite this, only 20% of women knew exercises supporting lactation (2022/23: 22.9%; 2024/25: 17.0%).Conclusions: Women's knowledge of preventive measures during pregnancy is insufficient. Further research and education on this topic are necessary.

The perinatal period is considered protective against suicide among women of reproductive age. However, it is unclear if this applies to nonfatal suicidal behavior. This study compared rates and determinants of suicidal behavior during pregnancy/delivery, postpartum, and nonpregnancy/nonpostpartum. A repeated cross-sectional study was performed using 2006-2019 Florida hospital discharge records. Trends in hospitalization rates were assessed for suicidal ideation and intentional self-harm by pregnancy period, and adjusted rate ratios (aRRs) were estimated using negative binomial regression models to compare pregnancy/delivery and postpartum to nonpregnancy/nonpostpartum. Determinants were also compared across pregnancy periods. Hospitalization rates for suicidal ideation in 2018-2019 versus 2006-2007 were 3.5, 5.9, and 5.1 times higher during pregnancy/delivery, postpartum, and nonpregnancy/nonpostpartum, respectively. In contrast, rates for intentional self-harm declined during nonpregnancy/nonpostpartum (RR = 0.85), with no significant change during pregnancy/delivery or postpartum. Compared with nonpregnancy/nonpostpartum, aRRs for suicidal ideation were significantly lower during pregnancy/delivery (aRR = 0.08) and postpartum (aRR = 0.13). Similar findings were observed for intentional self-harm (aRRs = 0.08 and 0.14, respectively). Determinants varied slightly by behavior and period. During pregnancy/delivery and postpartum, younger age, non-Hispanic Black race (pregnancy/delivery only), and Medicaid/Medicare or "Other" payer were positively associated with both behaviors, whereas Hispanic ethnicity and Medicaid/Medicare or "Other" payer were positively associated with both behaviors during nonpregnancy/nonpostpartum. Suicidal behavior is a significant concern during the reproductive period. Increasing access to mental healthcare and tailoring interventions to high-risk populations are important to reducing hospitalization rates.

This scoping review synthesizes research on "Microplastics Exposure During Perinatal Period: Impacts on Neonatal Immune and Metabolic Programming " to address gaps in understanding how micro- and nano plastics affect neonatal physiological systems and health trajectories. This scoping review aims to evaluate mechanisms of immune and metabolic disruption, benchmark experimental models, characterize size- and dose-dependent effects, and elucidate exposure pathways influencing neonatal outcomes. This also analyses the experimental animal studies, human clinical data, and in vitro models, focusing on biodistribution, molecular effects, and long-term consequences. Findings reveal that micro- and nano plastics cross placental and lactational barriers, accumulating in fetal and neonatal tissues, with smaller particles exhibiting greater translocation and toxicity. Immune programming is disrupted via inflammation, oxidative stress, and gut microbiota dysbiosis, while metabolic disturbances include lipid dysregulation, hepatic inflammation, and persistent obesity risk. Neurodevelopmental impairments and reproductive toxicity with transgenerational effects were documented predominantly in animal models. Methodological heterogeneity and limited human longitudinal data constrain translational relevance. Integrating these findings underscores the critical impact of early-life microplastic exposure on immune and metabolic programming with potential lifelong health consequences. These insights highlight the need for standardized exposure assessment, multidisciplinary research, and targeted public health interventions to mitigate risks during sensitive developmental windows.