Influence of so far neglected psychosomatic factors, BMI and smoking on pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH)

ObjectiveCorrelation of descriptive psychosomatic factors and birth parameters for pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH).Study designFor this prospective study 508 pregnant (singleton) women from 16th-22nd gestational week (GW) were investigated by means of a semi-standardized questionnaire. Complete data concerning delivery were obtained from medical records. In addition to medical and sociodemographic risk factors, so far neglected parameters such as biographical information, personality factors, social environment, stress coping strategies and pregnancy-related anxieties were examined. A factor analysis was performed using a principal component method with subsequent varimax rotation.Main outcome measuresMain outcome measures were imminent preterm delivery, PIH, factual preterm delivery before 37GW and birth weight <10th percentile.ResultsFour hundred and eighty-eight qualified for evaluation and got included in the univariate logistic regression – 12.6% of them had PIH. The development of PIH showed a significant correlation with age (OR, 95% CI). Very young and older women were more likely to develop PIH.Development of PIH is significantly more frequent in women, whose parents adhered to an authoritarian educational style, had no emotional support of female friends, and a higher BMI.Women who always had been non-smokers and women who did not give up smoking during pregnancy, but only reduced the amount of cigarettes had the least probability of developing PIH, whereas total abandoning of smoking before and especially during pregnancy was associated with a significantly increased risk for the development of PIH.ConclusionsThis study suggests psychosomatic factors, BMI and smoking behavior to be relevant for the development of PIH.