BioSocial Health journal 3060-6268 3 3 2026 10 01 Climate Change and Perinatal Mental Health in Ghana: An Overlooked Public Health Crisis — A Perspective 111 117 10.34172/bshj.203 EN Vincent Smith Addeh https://orcid.org/0009-0007-4841-3655 Joyce Mensah Journal Article 10.34172/bshj.203 2026 07 11 2026 08 18 Introduction: Climate change is a defining public health challenge of the twenty-first century, and its consequences for mental health are increasingly recognized. In Ghana, however, national discussion has centered on agriculture, food security, and infectious disease, and the consequences of climate change for the mental health of pregnant and postpartum women remain largely unexamined. The perinatal period is one of heightened biological and psychosocial vulnerability, and climate-related hazards such as floods and drought are intensifying. Methods: We conducted a structured search of Scopus, Google Scholar, PubMed, and SAGE Journals (1, 3, 4 and 7 December 2024 respectively), with de-duplication and screening managed in Covidence to identify studies quantifying the impact of climate change on perinatal mental health in Ghana. Results: No eligible study was identified: the search returned zero studies quantifying the impact of climate change on perinatal mental health in Ghana. Drawing on the global literature and national policy documents, we show that climate-induced stressors - displacement, economic hardship, disrupted services, and constrained access to care heighten the risk of perinatal depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder, amplified by cultural stigma, spiritual attribution of distress, and a constrained mental health workforce. We propose a conceptual framework and show that the gap is mirrored across West Africa. This evidence gap leaves clinicians and policymakers without an empirical basis for screening, prevention, or climate-adaptation planning for a large and growing at-risk population. Conclusion: Integrating validated screening into maternal care, building climate-resilient services, and pursuing intersectoral policy are priorities that will ensure maternal and child health, equity, and climate resilience advance together.