The effect of mindfulness meditation nursing on the outcomes of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer.

Adding mindfulness meditation to routine nursing care for women undergoing in vitro fertilization improves both psychological and clinical outcomes. In a randomized trial with 100 infertile patients, those who received mindfulness-based nursing had lower postoperative pain, less anxiety and depression, better sleep quality, and higher quality of life compared to those receiving only standard care. They also showed more punctured follicles and retrieved oocytes, more embryos transferred on day 3, and a higher pregnancy rate. The findings suggest that integrating mindfulness meditation into nursing care can reduce psychological stress and enhance well-being and treatment success.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of mindfulness meditation (MM) nursing on outcomes of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET). A total of 100 infertile patients undergoing IVF-ET were randomly assigned to either a conventional care group or an MM group, with 50 patients in each. While both groups received routine nursing, the MM group received additional MM-based nursing interventions. Compared to the conventional group, the MM group showed significantly lower postoperative pain scores (VAS) and better psychological outcomes, as evidenced by improvements in anxiety (SAS), depression (SDS), sleep quality (PSQI), and overall quality of life (WHO-QOL-BREF) (all P<0.001). Moreover, the MM group had higher numbers of punctured follicles and retrieved oocytes (P<0.001), more embryos transferred on day 3 post-retrieval (P=0.047), and a higher pregnancy rate (P=0.045). These findings suggest that incorporating MM into nursing care during IVF-ET can effectively reduce psychological stress, enhance well-being, and improve clinical outcomes.