Barriers and Facilitators of Mental Health Well-Being Among Postnatal Mothers: A Systematic Review

The postnatal mothers experience mental health challenges which include depression, anxiety, and stress. Although frequency is markedly higher in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), systemic and cultural barriers often impede help-seeking and access to care, even as various facilitators promote resilience and recovery. This systematic review aims to assess the barriers and facilitators to mental health and well-being among postnatal mothers in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, synthesising findings from both qualitative and quantitative studies. A thorough, systematic search was conducted in electronic databases, including EBSCOhost, PubMed, PsycARTICLES, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect, for studies published between January 2015 and April 2025. Studies included in this review are qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods. The identified themes were categorized as individual, interpersonal, organizational, community and societal. The systematic review included eighteen studies. The main barriers were as follows: (1) Individual: low mental health literacy, stigma, and fear of judgment; (2) Interpersonal: lack of partner or family support; (3) Organizational: healthcare systems focused predominantly on infant physical health, poor provider communication, and fragmented referral pathways; (4) Community: cultural norms discouraging disclosure of emotional distress; and (5) Societal: financial constraints, geographical inaccessibility, and under resourced mental health services. The main facilitators included: strong social support networks, perceived self-efficacy, culturally sensitive and integrated care models, peer support programs, and technology-enabled interventions. By focusing on the unique culture within regions like the Caribbean, researchers can build a support system that ensures no mother has to struggle through the postnatal period alone.