Pregnancy hypertension and its association with maternal anxiety and mood disorders: A population-based study of 9 million pregnancies

Background: Evidence on whether anxiety or mood disorders increases the risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) has been conflicting. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of maternal mental disorders over time and their associations with HDP. Methods: This was a population-based retrospective study involving 9,097,355 pregnant women using Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Inpatient Sample (HCUP-NIS) data from 2004 through 2014. We calculated the prevalence of maternal anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder and mood disorder and trends of gestational hypertension, preeclampsia and eclampsia during the study period. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the association between each mental disorder and HDP. Results: Mental disorders showed increasing trends among pregnant women, with anxiety showing the greatest increase in rates. Unadjusted associations suggest all mental disorders increase the likelihood of HDP. When adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics and comorbidities, only anxiety showed consistently increased risk of gestational hypertension (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.324, 95% CI 1.255-1.397), preeclampsia (aOR 1.522, 95% CI 1.444-1.604), with the strongest association with eclampsia (aOR 1.813, 95% CI 1.260-2.610). Limitations: Information on medication use is not available in the HCUP-NIS database and might have been contributory to our findings. Conclusions: Rates of maternal psychopathology are rising in the United States. Our study suggests that pregnant women with anxiety are at increased risk of HDP. Targeted screening for mental disorders as possible clinical risk markers may allow for timely prophylaxis and surveillance for the development of HDP.

Automated summary

This population-based retrospective study of over 9 million pregnant women in the United States found increasing rates of maternal mental disorders, with anxiety showing the greatest increase. Only anxiety was consistently associated with an increased risk of gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, and eclampsia. Targeted screening for mental disorders in pregnant women, particularly anxiety, may aid in timely prevention and surveillance of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.