Nosir AM, Lucke-Wold BP. Letter to the Editor: Temporal dynamics of anxiety and depression from pregnancy to postpartum: Insights, limitations, and clinical implications. World J Psychiatry 2026; 16(7): 117763 [DOI: 10.5498/wjp.117763]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Brandon P Lucke-Wold, Lillian S. Wells Department of Neurosurgery, University of Florida, 1505 SW Archer Road, Gainesville, FL 32608, United States. brandon.lucke-wold@neurosurgery.ufl.edu
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Psychiatry
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letter
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Nosir AM, Lucke-Wold BP. Letter to the Editor: Temporal dynamics of anxiety and depression from pregnancy to postpartum: Insights, limitations, and clinical implications. World J Psychiatry 2026; 16(7): 117763 [DOI: 10.5498/wjp.117763]
World J Psychiatry. Jul 19, 2026; 16(7): 117763 Published online Jul 19, 2026. doi: 10.5498/wjp.117763
Letter to the Editor: Temporal dynamics of anxiety and depression from pregnancy to postpartum: Insights, limitations, and clinical implications
Ahmed M Nosir, Brandon P Lucke-Wold
Ahmed M Nosir, College of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta 31511, Al Gharbīyah, Egypt
Brandon P Lucke-Wold, Lillian S. Wells Department of Neurosurgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, United States
Co-first authors: Ahmed M Nosir and Brandon P Lucke-Wold.
Author contributions: Nosir AM conducted the literature review and contributed to writing the manuscript; Lucke-Wold BP supervised the project, contributed to the conceptual framing, and revised the manuscript; Nosir AM and Lucke-Wold BP made equal contributions as co-first authors. All authors have approved the final manuscript.
AI contribution statement: No generative AI tools were used to create scientific content or arguments of the manuscript. The manuscript was fully written and structured by the authors. No portion of the scientific content was generated by AI tools. AI-based tools (Grammarly) were used only for language editing and improving readability. They did not influence interpretation of data or conclusions. All study design decisions, analysis, and interpretation were performed entirely by the authors without AI assistance.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Corresponding author: Brandon P Lucke-Wold, Lillian S. Wells Department of Neurosurgery, University of Florida, 1505 SW Archer Road, Gainesville, FL 32608, United States. brandon.lucke-wold@neurosurgery.ufl.edu
Received: December 26, 2025 Revised: January 25, 2026 Accepted: March 6, 2026 Published online: July 19, 2026 Processing time: 193 Days and 18.5 Hours
Abstract
We read with great interest the study by Gao and Lu published in the World Journal of Psychiatry. Anxiety and depressive symptoms during pregnancy are important predictors of postpartum depression, yet their temporal dynamics remain incompletely understood. The authors use a cross-lagged time series model to examine how anxiety and depression at different gestational stages influence postpartum outcomes. This provides insight into fluctuations in maternal mental health and highlights critical windows for early identification and intervention. However, the retrospective design limits understanding of underlying stressors, as no patient-reported questionnaires were used. Population-specific characteristics, reliance on hospital records, and differing screening instruments may reduce generalizability and affect observed associations. Future research should develop prospective, standardized tools to assess maternal mental health, investigate biological, psychosocial, and environmental contributors, and examine patterns of mild-to-moderate symptom fluctuations. Overall, this work advances understanding of maternal mental health trajectories and supports a proactive, stage-specific approach to early detection and intervention, ultimately aiming to reduce the global burden of postpartum depression.
Core Tip: This letter highlights the value of modeling anxiety and depressive symptoms across pregnancy to better understand their evolving influence on postpartum depression. By emphasizing time-dependent interactions rather than static measurements, the discussed study identifies critical gestational windows for early risk detection. The findings support a shift toward stage-specific screening strategies and proactive intervention during pregnancy. Future research integrating prospective designs and standardized assessments may further refine prevention efforts and reduce the global burden of postpartum depression.
