Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 15, 2026
06:39
Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants
Published on: June 13, 2021
Mood disorders and peripartum cardiomyopathy
Blake Neuburg1, Melissa Harris2, Anna Palatnik3,4
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology The Ohio State University Columbus Ohio USA.
Pregnancy (Hoboken, N.J.)
|August 14, 2026
Summary
Maternal mood disorders, including depression and anxiety, are linked to a doubled risk of peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM). This study highlights the importance of addressing mental health in pregnant and postpartum individuals to prevent cardiac complications.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Psychiatry
- Obstetrics
Background:
- Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a rare but serious form of heart failure affecting women during pregnancy or postpartum.
- Mood disorders are common in pregnant and postpartum populations, but their association with PPCM is not well-established.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between mood disorders and the incidence of peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM).
- To evaluate the relationship between maternal mood disorders and other adverse cardiac events during the peripartum period.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective cohort study analyzed data from the National Inpatient Sample (2017-2019) of pregnant and postpartum patients.
- Patients were categorized based on the presence or absence of ICD-10 diagnosed mood disorders (depression, bipolar depression, anxiety).
- Statistical analyses, including t-tests, chi-squared tests, and logistic regression, were used to compare outcomes and control for confounders.
Main Results:
- Over 2.2 million patients were included; 7.3% had a diagnosed mood disorder.
- Patients with mood disorders had a higher incidence of PPCM (0.12% vs. 0.06%) and composite adverse cardiac events (0.35% vs. 0.14%).
- Mood disorders remained independently associated with increased PPCM risk (aOR 1.37) and adverse cardiac events (aOR 1.58) after adjusting for confounders.
Conclusions:
- Maternal mood disorders are significantly associated with an increased risk of developing peripartum cardiomyopathy.
- The presence of mood disorders during pregnancy and postpartum is linked to higher rates of other adverse cardiac events.
- These findings underscore the importance of screening for and managing mood disorders in peripartum women to mitigate cardiac risks.
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