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Associations of anxiety disorders, depressive disorders and body weight with hypertension during pregnancy

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to prospectively examine the relationships between maternal DSM-IV-TR anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, and body mass index (BMI) with arterial hypertension and blood pressure during pregnancy. In the Maternal Anxiety in Relation to Infant Development (MARI) study, N = 306 women were enrolled in early pregnancy and repeatedly assessed during peripartum period. DSM-IV-TR anxiety and depressive disorders prior to pregnancy, lifetime anxiety/depression liability, and BMI during early pregnancy were assessed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview for Women (CIDI-V). Based on their prepregnancy status, all participants were assigned to one of the following initial diagnostic groups: no anxiety nor depressive disorder (no AD), pure depressive disorder (pure D), pure anxiety disorder (pure A), and comorbid anxiety and depressive disorder (comorbid AD). Blood pressure measurements were derived from medical records. Arterial hypertension during pregnancy was defined by at least two blood pressure values ≥140 mmHg systolic and/or ≥90 mmHg diastolic. N = 283 women with at least four documented blood pressure measurements during pregnancy were included in the analyses. In this sample, N = 47 women (16.6 %) were identified with arterial hypertension during pregnancy. Women with comorbid AD (reference group: no AD) had a significantly higher blood pressure after adjustment for age, parity, smoking, occupation, household income, and education (systolic: linear regression coefficient [β] = 3.0, 95 % confidence interval [CI] = 0.2–5.7; diastolic, β = 2.3, 95 % CI = 0.1–4.4). Anxiety liability was associated with an increased risk of hypertension (odds ratio [OR] = 1.1, 95 % CI = 1.0–1.3) and a higher systolic blood pressure (β = 0.4, 95 % CI = 0.0–0.7). The adjusted interaction model revealed a significant interaction between the diagnostic group pure A and BMI for hypertension (ORIT = 1.5, 95 % CI = 1.1–2.1). Especially, women with a lifetime history of comorbid anxiety and depression and obese pregnant women with a lifetime history of pure anxiety disorder should be informed about their heightened risk of hypertension, monitored with regular blood pressure measurements, and provided with strategies for prevention and early intervention such as changes in diet and physical activity.

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Acknowledgments

This work is funded by the Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Technische Universität Dresden and supported in part by the Lundbeck Institute Skodsborg, Denmark. Parts of the field work were additionally supported by the friends and sponsors (Gesellschaft der Freunde und Förderer) of the Technische Universität Dresden. Principle investigators are Dr. Julia Martini and Prof. Dr. Hans-Ulrich Wittchen. Core staff members of the project are Dipl.-Psych. Yvonne Hansche, Dr. Michael Höfler, Dipl.-Psych. Julia Niehoff, Dipl.-Psych. Johanna Petzoldt, Dipl.-Math. Jens Siegert, Dipl.-Psych. Gesine Wieder, Dipl.-Psych. Susanne Winkel, and Dipl.-Psych. Julia Wittich. Advisors/consultants to the project are Prof. Dr. Katja Beesdo-Baum, Prof. Dr. Franziska Einsle, and Dr. Susanne Knappe.

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  1. Institute for Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Technische Universität Dresden, Chemnitzer Straße 46, 01187, Dresden, Germany

    Susanne Winkel, Franziska Einsle, Lars Pieper, Michael Höfler, Hans-Ulrich Wittchen & Julia Martini

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  1. Susanne Winkel
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  2. Franziska Einsle
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Correspondence to Susanne Winkel.

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Winkel, S., Einsle, F., Pieper, L. et al. Associations of anxiety disorders, depressive disorders and body weight with hypertension during pregnancy. Arch Womens Ment Health 18, 473–483 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-014-0474-z

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