TY - JOUR
T1 - The perinatal mental health experiences of black immigrant mothers in the UK
T2 - A qualitative systematic review and thematic synthesis
AU - Fabiyi, Funmilayo
AU - Darwin, Zoe
AU - Sah, Rajeeb Kumar
AU - Firth, Amanda
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 Fabiyi et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
PY - 2025/12/19
Y1 - 2025/12/19
N2 - Introduction: Mental health difficulties during and after pregnancy are common worldwide. Women from minoritised ethnic communities are disproportionately affected, as are those affected by migration factors. Research typically treats ethnic minority groups as homogenous despite having potentially different needs and experiences. In the UK, Black women face considerable maternal mental health disparities, warranting further attention. Aim: To explore and understand the perinatal mental health (PMH) views and experiences of Black immigrant mothers in the UK, the support that was available to them and, perspectives on support received. Methods: MAG Online Library, CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Scopus electronic databases were systematically searched. And thematic synthesis was undertaken with all the studies which met the eligibility criteria. Findings: Four studies were retrieved, all focusing on postnatal depression. The synthesis generated three themes: i) perceived causes of PMH difficulties, ii) symptoms, signs and impact of PMH difficulties, iii) available support and coping means. Cultural beliefs permeated across all the themes. Conclusion: Black immigrant mothers in the UK face challenges such as lack of support, inadequate information, cultural perceptions, and insufficient help from family, community, and healthcare professionals. Further research is needed that extends beyond postnatal depression and includes parent-infant relationships.
AB - Introduction: Mental health difficulties during and after pregnancy are common worldwide. Women from minoritised ethnic communities are disproportionately affected, as are those affected by migration factors. Research typically treats ethnic minority groups as homogenous despite having potentially different needs and experiences. In the UK, Black women face considerable maternal mental health disparities, warranting further attention. Aim: To explore and understand the perinatal mental health (PMH) views and experiences of Black immigrant mothers in the UK, the support that was available to them and, perspectives on support received. Methods: MAG Online Library, CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Scopus electronic databases were systematically searched. And thematic synthesis was undertaken with all the studies which met the eligibility criteria. Findings: Four studies were retrieved, all focusing on postnatal depression. The synthesis generated three themes: i) perceived causes of PMH difficulties, ii) symptoms, signs and impact of PMH difficulties, iii) available support and coping means. Cultural beliefs permeated across all the themes. Conclusion: Black immigrant mothers in the UK face challenges such as lack of support, inadequate information, cultural perceptions, and insufficient help from family, community, and healthcare professionals. Further research is needed that extends beyond postnatal depression and includes parent-infant relationships.
KW - Black People
KW - Depression
KW - Postpartum
KW - Emigrants and Immigrants
KW - Female
KW - Humans
KW - Mental Health
KW - Mothers
KW - Pregnancy
KW - Qualitative Research
KW - United Kingdom
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105025378682
U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0331547
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0331547
M3 - Review article
C2 - 41417808
AN - SCOPUS:105025378682
SN - 1932-6203
VL - 20
JO - PLoS One
JF - PLoS One
IS - 12
M1 - e0331547
ER -
