The Impact of Mindfulness Programmes on Anxiety, Depression and Stress During Pregnancy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Mindfulness meditation programs during pregnancy effectively reduce maternal stress, anxiety, and depression. A systematic review and meta-analysis of 13 experimental studies found that mindfulness interventions lasting 6 to 8 weeks produced a standardized mean difference of -0.73 for anxiety, -0.67 for depression, and -0.74 for stress, indicating moderate-to-large reductions in these negative symptoms. The findings suggest that incorporating mindfulness programs into prenatal care is a useful approach, though resource availability and the comparative effectiveness of in-person versus online delivery require further investigation.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Mental health problems that can appear in women during pregnancy include fear, anxiety, feelings of vulnerability, stress, and depression. Mindfulness (MF) is a specific meditation technique that can help during treatment for prenatal mood disorders, emotional distress, and psychological strains. The aim of this study is to determine the effectiveness of a specific meditation approach in women during pregnancy on these mental health problems. This systematic review analysed data from PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL. The search equation used was "mindfulness [title] AND pregnancy [title] AND (trial OR clinical trial OR RCT OR quasi-experimental OR experimental OR randomised clinical trial OR randomised controlled trial OR quasi-experimental study)". This analyses experimental studies published in the last 10 years that include interventions based on MF, applying cognitive behavioural therapies to reduce stress, depression, and anxiety and in which the participants completed a questionnaire related to these variables. Standardised means effect size meta-analysis was performed with RevMan Web. All the included studies (n = 13) reported that the intervention led to a decrease in negative symptoms related to prenatal pressure, apprehension, and melancholy. The duration of the MF programmes was 6 to 8 weeks. The meta-analysis showed that MF during pregnancy is an effective approach, with a standardised mean difference of -0.73 for anxiety, -0.67 for depression, and -0.74 for stress. Mindfulness programmes during pregnancy are a useful and effective means of reducing maternal stress, anxiety, and depression. Including MF programmes during pregnancy should be considered depending on resources availability. In person vs. online effectiveness should be investigated.