A Critical Advantage of Hypnobirthing to Ameliorate Antenatal Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Hypnobirthing, a non-invasive therapy involving hypnosis, relaxation, breathing exercises, and visualization, appears to reduce depression during pregnancy. A systematic review of nine studies and meta-analysis of four found that most studies reported improvements in antenatal depression, despite differences in how the therapy was delivered and how long it lasted. The therapy was administered through various methods including daily relaxation, progressive muscle relaxation, J-breathing, meditation, and ego strengthening, with participants encouraged to practice at home and followed up via visits, phone calls, or messages. The findings suggest hypnobirthing can help, but more research is needed to standardize protocols and assess long-term effects.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Pregnant women are likely to experience depression due to various factors. Hypnobirthing is a non-invasive therapy that can be used to treat depression during pregnancy. This study aims to systematically review the effect of hypnobirthing on antenatal depression. This study employs a systematic review following PRISMA guidelines. Articles were retrieved from PubMed, ScienceDirect, the Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, and hand searches. Articles were included for review if they met the following inclusion criteria: (1) published in the last ten years (2014-2024); (2) the articles published in English; (3) article types are original research articles and reviews; (4) the full text can be retrieved; and (5) the findings of the selected articles should discuss the effect of hypnobirthing or hypnosis for birth. Articles were critically appraised using Joanna Briggs Institute tools. The initial search yielded 7603 records; nine studies met the inclusion criteria for systematic review, and four studies for meta-analysis. The articles were analyzed, and findings were presented in narrative ways and categorized into three themes: the effect of therapy, the administration of the therapy, and the mechanism of the therapy. The therapy was performed by different methods, involving hypnosis, daily relaxation, progressive muscle relaxation, breathing exercises, the J-breathing technique, meditation, visualization, and ego strengthening. Additionally, participants were encouraged to do self-practice at home and were followed up by personal visits, phone calls, or text messages. The majority of the studies found that hypnobirthing ameliorated antenatal depression, despite the variation in initial administration and the duration of therapy. Further research is needed to standardize therapy protocols and explore long-term outcomes.