Chen CR, Gao YL, Kang LP, Wu BY. Risk of postpartum anxiety and depression in women with a history of gestational hypertensive disorders. World J Psychiatry 2026; 16(8): 119711 [DOI: 10.5498/wjp.119711]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Bi-Yu Wu, Department of Nursing, Quanzhou First Hospital, No. 248-252 Dong Street, Licheng District, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian Province, China. qzwubiyu@163.com
Research Domain of This Article
Psychiatry
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research-article
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Chen CR, Gao YL, Kang LP, Wu BY. Risk of postpartum anxiety and depression in women with a history of gestational hypertensive disorders. World J Psychiatry 2026; 16(8): 119711 [DOI: 10.5498/wjp.119711]
Chun-Rong Chen, Department of Obstetrics, Quanzhou First Hospital Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian Province, China
Yu-Ling Gao, Bi-Yu Wu, Department of Nursing, Quanzhou First Hospital, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian Province, China
Li-Ping Kang, Department of Obstetrics, Quanzhou First Hospital, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian Province, China
Author contributions: Chen CR, Gao YL, and Kang LP performed data analysis and interpretation as well as statistical analysis; Chen CR and Wu BY were responsible for study concept and design, drafting of the manuscript, and administrative/technical or material support; Chen CR and Kang LP collected the data; Chen CR, Kang LP, and Wu BY critically revised the manuscript for important intellectual content; and all authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
AI contribution statement: “Answering-Reviewers” document was language-polished by DeepL.
Supported by Quanzhou Science and Technology Plan Project, No. 2018N116S.
Institutional review board statement: This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Quanzhou First Hospital, approval No. 2026K[003].
Informed consent statement: As this was a retrospective study, the requirement for informed consent was waived in compliance with institutional policies.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
STROBE statement: The authors have read the STROBE Statement-checklist of items, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the STROBE Statement-checklist of items.
Data sharing statement: No additional data is available.
Corresponding author: Bi-Yu Wu, Department of Nursing, Quanzhou First Hospital, No. 248-252 Dong Street, Licheng District, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian Province, China. qzwubiyu@163.com
Received: March 6, 2026 Revised: March 30, 2026 Accepted: June 2, 2026 Published online: August 19, 2026 Processing time: 134 Days and 4.2 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Gestational hypertensive disorders (GHDs) are common pregnancy complications associated with severe maternal morbidity. Although their physical after-effects have been extensively reported, their effects on postpartum mental well-being, especially anxiety and depression, remain under-researched.
AIM
To evaluate the risk of postpartum anxiety and depression among women with GHD and assessed the protective role of a designed supportive care model.
METHODS
The participants were 220 women (110 with GHD; 110 normotensive controls) who were matched for key obstetric variables. Participants’ clinical and postnatal follow-up data were collected between June 2022 and May 2025. Standardized screening instruments were used to measure postpartum anxiety and depression between 6 and 12 weeks after delivery. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios for postpartum mental health outcomes, accounting for relevant sociodemographic and obstetric confounders. Analyses in the hypertensive cohort examined the effect of structured supportive care models.
RESULTS
Women with GHD showed higher levels of postpartum anxiety and depression than normotensive controls. GHD was independently linked with higher odds of postpartum anxiety and depression after adjustment. Structured supportive care in the hypertensive cohort showed significantly lower prevalence and adjusted odds of postpartum anxiety and depression than in those who received standard postnatal care.
CONCLUSION
GHDs were associated with significantly elevated probabilities of postpartum anxiety and depression. Supportive care was associated with a significant reduction in this risk. Therefore, the introduction of specific psychosocial support into routine postpartum care for women with GHD should be considered.
Core Tip: This retrospective cohort study confirms that a history of gestational hypertensive disorders significantly increases the risk of postpartum anxiety and depression in women. A structured supportive care model effectively reduces this risk, suggesting that mental health interventions should be integrated into routine postpartum care for high-risk mothers to achieve comprehensive physical and psychological recovery.
