Faculty Advisor: Julie Vignato

Hometown: Ghana, Volta Region

My research focuses on the stigma associated with perinatal depression in Sub-Saharan Africa. My work explores how the cultural beliefs, gender roles, and societal expectations of motherhood shape the experiences of women and influence their willingness to seek help in African communities. Perinatal depression is often under-recognized and stigmatized in Sub-Saharan Africa due to cultural beliefs surrounding motherhood. This discourages women from disclosing their emotional struggles or seeking timely care. My research aims to understand how these stigmatizing beliefs are formed, how women internalize them, and how they influence help-seeking behaviors during the perinatal period. Using a qualitative approach, I plan to engage with perinatal women, healthcare providers, and community leaders to explore how stigma operates at individual, interpersonal, and institutional levels. The goal of my research is to inform the development of culturally grounded, community-based strategies that improve maternal mental health outcomes. I hope to contribute to a growing body of work that centers African women’s voices and experiences in global maternal mental health discourse. My work is driven by a commitment to health equity and the belief that every woman deserves access to compassionate, respectful, and stigma-free care during one of the most vulnerable periods of her life.