Turkey is developing country and Turkish people have different cultural features from Europe and Asia. Turkey has been experiencing a social and cultural transformation during the last century. Conjunctions with these changing values and expectations women also have had new roles and responsibilities. Women’s health has always been an important issue of the health policies in Turkey. Perinatal care is given free of charge and is widely available. 92 % of mothers receive antenatal care from health personnel during the pregnancy. About 85% of mothers and 90% of infants receive postnatal care from health personnel in the two months following the delivery in Turkey.

Turkey has some improvements in its health system especially to prevent early motherhoods, mother and infant deaths, to decrease the fertility rate, to increase literacy rate, to protect the families’ domestic violence, to promote small entrepreneurship and, to educate the health personnel about perinatal care. Although significant advancements have been achieved, women still need support to overcome some problems related with their roles, status and health issues in the society. Pregnancy and birth related mental disorders still require more attention. Research studies about perinatal psychiatry have been conducted all over the country. Most of them are related to prevalence and risk factors of postnatal depression. According to the studies, unemployment of the husband, low education, poverty, early age pregnancy, unplanned pregnancy, premenstrual syndrome, lack of antenatal care, history of mental illness, history of mental illness in first-degree relatives and adverse life events were associated with postnatal depression.

As a conclusion, depression prevention programs in perinatal period should become high priority issue in Turkey. Implementing community-based programs to meet the care needs of new mothers, including at least two follow up visits, giving education on psychiatric disorders related to pregnancy and, establishing departments on women’s mental health must be a concern of health authorities.