Perinatal mental health refers to emotional and psychological wellbeing during pregnancy and the first year after birth. This period can bring profound change, vulnerability, and growth, and it’s common for parents to experience a wide range of feelings—from joy and connection to anxiety, sadness, or overwhelm. Perinatal mental health care offers understanding, support, and treatment to help parents feel steadier, strengthen the early parent–infant relationship, and navigate this transition with greater confidence and care.

Per·i·na·tal /ˌperə nādl/

The period surrounding birth, encompassing the time from conception through the first year of the baby’s life.

While conception is commonly defined as the fertilization of an egg by a sperm, it’s also meaningful to recognize that the idea of a baby often begins in the minds and hearts of the parents well before this biological event.