Latent class analysis of pregnancy-related anxiety in pregnant women with preterm premature rupture of membranes
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Objective To explore the latent classes of pregnancy-related anxiety and their influencing factors in pregnant women with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM), and to provide evidence for developing targeted psychological interventions. Methods Using convenience sampling, 136 pregnant women with PPROM hospitalized in the Department of Obstetrics of Henan Provincial People’s Hospital from January 2023 to March 2025 were enrolled. Surveys were conducted using a general information questionnaire, the Pregnancy-Related Anxiety Questionnaire (PAQ), the Vulnerable Personality Style Questionnaire (VPSQ), and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Latent class analysis (LCA) was performed using Mplus 8.3, with the 13 item scores of the PAQ as manifest indicators to determine the optimal number of classes. Univariate analysis and binary logistic regression were used to identify factors influencing class membership. Results The mean total PAQ score of PPROM pregnant women was 31.26 ± 6.83. LCA identified two latent classes: the generalized anxiety group (79 cases, 58.1%) showed conditional probabilities >0.6 on all 13 items; the fetal health anxiety group (57 cases, 41.9%) showed conditional probabilities >0.6 only on items 7, 8, and 13 (all belonging to the “worry about fetal health” dimension), whereas the conditional probabilities on the remaining items were generally below 0.6, with items 9 and 10 showing moderate values. Univariate analysis showed statistically significant differences between the two groups in education level, history of adverse pregnancy outcomes, vulnerable personality type, total PAQ score, and resilience score (all p < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that college degree or above (OR = 0.410, 95%CI: 0.204–0.824) and resilience (OR = 0.924, 95%CI: 0.895–0.954) were protective factors for belonging to the generalized anxiety group, while history of adverse pregnancy outcomes (OR = 2.667, 95%CI: 1.210–5.878) and vulnerable personality (OR = 3.368, 95%CI: 1.696–6.688) were independent risk factors. Conclusion Pregnancy-related anxiety in PPROM pregnant women exhibits significant population heterogeneity and can be classified into a generalized anxiety group and a fetal health anxiety group. The two groups differ in the content and focus of anxiety, which suggests that clinical practice should move beyond total-score cut-offs toward content-based assessment. Education level, history of adverse pregnancy outcomes, vulnerable personality, and resilience are independent factors influencing class membership. Graded psychological management based on the content of anxiety may be considered, but the stability and clinical utility of these classes require confirmation in larger, longitudinal studies.
Source: Frontiers in Public Health
Authors: Ruili Zhu, Xiaohui Yan, Lina Zhao
Institution: Henan Provincial People's Hospital
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,801
OpenAlex ID: W7215046937