Psychiatric Morbidity in Women Undergoing Major Gynaecological Procedures: A Cross-Sectional Study at a Tertiary Care Hospital

Background: Women awaiting major gynaecological surgery may experience substantial psychological distress, but preoperative psychiatric morbidity is often under-recognised in routine practice in India. Aim: To estimate the prevalence of depression, anxiety and perceived stress and examine associations with socio-demographic and clinical variables among women awaiting major gynaecological surgery. Materials and Methods: In this hospital-based cross-sectional study (January 2024-June 2025), 150 adult women admitted for elective major gynaecological procedures at a tertiary care teaching hospital in Rajasthan, India, were recruited consecutively. Depression, anxiety and perceived stress were assessed using Hindi versions of the PHQ-9, GAD-7 and PSS-10. Associations with depression were explored using chi-square tests and multivariable logistic regression. Results: Mean age was 38.6 ± 9.7 years. Moderate-to-severe depression (PHQ-9 ?10) was present in 47.3%, moderate-to-severe anxiety (GAD-7 ?10) in 51.3%, and high perceived stress (PSS-10 ?27) in 22.7%. Depression was associated with age group (p = 0.049). Compared with women aged 18-29 years, the adjusted odds of depression were higher in women aged 30-39 years (aOR 3.24; 95% CI 1.12-9.41), 40-49 years (aOR 4.14; 95% CI 1.43-11.98) and 50-59 years (aOR 3.40; 95% CI 1.10-10.53).Conclusion: Psychiatric morbidity is common among women awaiting major gynaecological surgery. Routine preoperative mental health screening and linkage to liaison psychiatry services may improve perioperative care.