Perinatal quality-of-life trajectories and determinants among high-risk pregnant women and their husbands: a prospective cohort study

Purpose: This study examined changes in quality of life (QoL) among high-risk pregnant women and their husbands across the perinatal period and identified physical and psychosocial factors associated with these changes over time.Methods: A total of 149 couples experiencing high-risk pregnancies were recruited from an online community for mothers in South Korea and followed from pregnancy (T1) to 6 weeks postpartum (T2) and 12 weeks postpartum (T3). QoL was measured using the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF, and anxiety, fatigue, perceived social support, and marital adjustment were assessed using validated self-report instruments. A linear mixed model was used to examine changes in QoL over time, and Pearson correlation and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to identify predictors of QoL at each time point.Results: Both pregnant women and their husbands had significant declines in physical and psychological QoL from pregnancy to 6 weeks postpartum, followed by partial recovery by 12 weeks postpartum. Husbands reported consistently higher QoL scores than their wives at all time points. Higher anxiety and lower perceived social support were the most consistent predictors of lower QoL in both partners; maternal QoL was also associated with fatigue, whereas husbands’ QoL was more strongly associated with marital satisfaction and parenting-related stress after childbirth. The regression models explained 33% to 66% of the variance in QoL across the three time points.Conclusion: These findings underscore the interdependence of QoL among high-risk pregnant women and their husbands throughout the perinatal period. Nursing interventions that address anxiety, fatigue, social support, and couple adaptation may improve family well-being and support recovery after a high-risk pregnancy.