Categories, symptom characteristics and factors influencing depression and anxiety in pregnant women: latent profile analysis and network analysis.

Comorbid prenatal depression and anxiety are prevalent among pregnant women and pose significant risks to maternal and infant health. Previous research has focused on linear associations between depression and anxiety among pregnant women, with limited exploration of subgroup characteristics and symptom heterogeneity. This study examines the categories, symptom characteristics and factors influencing depression and anxiety in pregnant women via latent profile analysis and network analysis. A cross-sectional survey was conducted from June 2021 to August 2023 at hospital obstetric clinics in Guangzhou and Zhongshan, Guangdong Province. A total of 1683 pregnant women completed the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale, the seven-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, the Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire-Fusion, the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire and the General Function of Family Assessment Device. Subgroups of patients with depression and anxiety symptoms were identified through latent profile analysis. Multiple regression and network analyses were used to reveal subgroup characteristics. The participants were divided into three subgroups: low depression and anxiety symptom groups (n = 809, 48.07%), medium depression and anxiety symptom groups (n = 756, 44.92%), and high depression and anxiety symptom groups (n = 118, 7.01%). There were significant differences among these three subgroups in terms of age, positive coping, negative coping, cognitive fusion, and family function. The core symptoms of the low and moderate depression and anxiety symptom groups were "sad or miserable" and "anxious or worried", whereas those of the high depression and anxiety symptom group were "crying" and "uncontrollable worry". Our study highlights the need for stratified interventions tailored to symptom severity and subgroup characteristics.