title: Emotional stress and the risk to develop hypertensive diseases in pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cardiovascular diseases are strongly influenced by stress and do share several risk factors with hypertensive diseases in pregnancy (HDP). The aim of the study is to investigate the correlation between emotional stress during pregnancy and the risk for HDP.
  
  
  METHODS
  A self-administered questionnaire comprising obstetrical and psychosocial questions was completed by 725 patients and 880 controls matched for age, parity, nationality, and educational level.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Emotional stress during pregnancy was associated with a 1.6-fold increased risk for HDP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Psychosocial interventions to reduce emotional stress during pregnancy may help to decrease the risk to develop HDP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland. Brigitte.Leeners@usz.ch
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Leeners
authors.forename: Peruka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Neumaier-Wagner
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kuse
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stiller
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Rath
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D046110:Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008019:Life Style; D016015:Logistic Models; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012107:Research Design; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires