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Updated: Aug 28, 2026

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
Psychosocial stress and persistent postpartum hypertension after preeclampsia
Laila Sheikh1, Yaa A Kwapong1, Addis Yilma1
1Division of Cardiology. Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America.
Abstract:
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.
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