Perinatal Psychiatry and Stigma

Goksen Yuksel

Abstract

Stigma, maybe the most dense within psychiatric population, also effects the women who face psychiatric problems during perinatal period. As they face a mental problem, they are thought to be “ineffective mothers” and the perception of the community about perinatal psychiatric patients is always far away from the reality of their ability to be a loving partner and mother. Beyond the popular media, ruthless to these patients, the medical professionals randomly fail to realize the necessity of medical care and treatment within perinatal period. Legal issues and community prejudice prevent these women seek help. A multibranch approach is vital to these women fight for stigma as they deserve obviously more.