Pregnancy Stress and Depression among Hospitalized Women with High-Risk Pregnancies: Serial Multiple Mediation by Mindfulness and Anxiety

Purpose: This study investigated the mediating roles of mindfulness and anxiety in the association between pregnancy stress and depression among hospitalized women with high-risk pregnancies. Methods: Employing a cross-sectional descriptive design, this study was guided by the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping. Data were collected from 109 high-risk pregnant women admitted to a maternal-fetal intensive care unit in Korea. IBM SPSS 27.0 and Hayes's PROCESS macro, version 4.2, were used for data analysis. Results: A significant serial multiple mediation effect of mindfulness and anxiety was observed in the association between pregnancy stress and depression among the hospitalized women with high-risk pregnancies (Effect=0.03, 95% CI=0.01 to 0.05).Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the association between pregnancy stress and depression is fully mediated through the sequential interaction of mindfulness and anxiety. Consequently, implementing mindfulness-based stress management and emotional support programs is recommended for women with high-risk pregnancies during their hospitalization.