Benefits of Mindfulness Training on the Mental Health of Women During Pregnancy and Early Motherhood: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a mindfulness-based psychosomatic intervention on depression, anxiety, fear of childbirth (FOC), and life satisfaction of pregnant women in China.

Methods: Women experiencing first-time pregnancy ( n = 104) were randomly allocated to the intervention group or a parallel active control group. We collected data at baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1), 3 days after delivery (T2), and 42 days after delivery (T3). The participants completed questionnaires for the assessment of the levels of depression, anxiety, FOC, life satisfaction, and mindfulness. Differences between the two groups and changes within the same group were analyzed at four time points using repeated-measures analysis of variance.

Results: Compared with the active control group, the intervention group reported lower depression levels at T2 ( P = 0.038) and T3 ( P = 0.013); reduced anxiety at T1 ( P = 0.001) and T2 ( P = 0.003); reduced FOC at T1 ( P < 0.001) and T2 ( P = 0.04); increased life satisfaction at T1 ( P < 0.001) and T3 ( P = 0.015); and increased mindfulness at T1 ( P = 0.01) and T2 ( P = 0.006).

Conclusion: The mindfulness-based psychosomatic intervention effectively increased life satisfaction and reduced perinatal depression, anxiety, and FOC.

Keywords: Anxiety; Depression; Fear of childbirth; Life satisfaction; Mindfulness; Randomized controlled trial.