Psychosocial stress and persistent postpartum hypertension after preeclampsia

Preeclampsia (PEC) is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy associated with increased long-term cardiovascular risk. Psychosocial measures may contribute to this risk but remain understudied. In this cross-sectional study of 65 postpartum women (40 with prior PEC), perceived stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms were assessed using validated scales, and their associations with persistent hypertension were evaluated. Persistent hypertension occurred in 1 in 4 women with PEC. Higher perceived stress was independently associated with higher odds of persistent hypertension, while anxiety and depression were not. These findings suggest perceived stress may be an important modifiable risk factor for postpartum hypertension after PEC.