An Integrated Approach to Perinatal Depression and Anxiety in Spanish-Speaking and Latina Women

Sandraluz Lara-Cinisomo, PhD (she/her/ella) is an associate professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Originally from Mexico, she grew up in South Central Los Angeles and speaks Spanish as her first language. Dr. Lara-Cinisomo is a trailblazer as a first-generation college graduate, having earned her bachelor's degree from California State University, Northridge, followed by a master's from Harvard University and a doctorate from Columbia University.

Her research is dedicated to addressing mental health disparities among women and mothers, with a particular focus on racial and ethnic minorities and Latina immigrants. Dr. Lara-Cinisomo's work is grounded in a comprehensive framework that considers psychosocial, cultural, structural, and physiological factors. She explores how contextual features, such as culture and biology, contribute to mental health challenges in her target populations, taking an interdisciplinary approach to understanding these disparities.

In her investigations, Dr. Lara-Cinisomo has delved into hormonal influences, including cortisol and oxytocin, associated with perinatal depression and anxiety. She has also utilized functional magnetic resonance imaging to study pain responses among postpartum women, comparing those with and without depression. Recently, her research examined factors linked to depression in racially diverse women with gestational diabetes mellitus.

Her groundbreaking work has garnered support from prestigious sources including the National Institutes of Health, various foundations, and other institutions.

Chapter 1. Why an Integrated Approach to Perinatal Depression and Anxiety Is Necessary: An Introduction to the Book.- Chapter 2. Anxiety and Worry During the Perinatal Period: Why They Cannot Be Ignored.- Chapter 3.  Protective Factors Against Depression and Anxiety Among Latinas and Spanish-Speaking Women.- Chapter 4. Depression and Anxiety in Women Pursuing Fertility Treatment in Spain.- Chapter 5. Perinatal Mental Health in Women Living in Mexico During Periods of Crises: Experiences of an Earthquake and the COVID-19 Pandemic.- Chapter 6. Maternal Mental Health and Newborn Intensive Care Units: Regional Experiences in Argentina. Chapter 7. Perinatal Anxiety and Mother-Infant Health in Chile.- Chapter 8. Culturally Sensitive Interventions for Latinas and Spanish-Speaking women.- Chapter 9.- Diagnosing and treating perinatal depression and anxiety in Spanish-Speaking and Latina/Latinx women in the U.S.- Chapter 10. Studying Biomarkers to Assess Perinatal Depression.- Chapter 11. Advancing Research in Perinatal Mental Health in Spanish-Speaking Latin American Women.- Chapter 12. Developing a Culturally Responsive Mental Health Workforce for Spanish-Speaking and Latina/Latinx Birthing People with Perinatal Depression and Anxiety.