Mindfulness-based program for stress reduction in infertile women: Randomized controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Psychology
• Mind-Body Medicine

Background:

• Infertility is frequently associated with chronic stress, negatively impacting women's well-being and exacerbating infertility's burden.
• Chronic stress and its psychological effects are significant concerns for women undergoing fertility treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of an 8-week mindfulness-based program (MBP) in reducing stress severity among infertile women.
• To assess the impact of MBP on depressive symptoms and general well-being in this population.

Main Methods:

• An open-label, parallel, randomized controlled trial was conducted with infertile women aged 18-50 years.
• Participants were assigned to either an 8-week MBP or a control group (no intervention).
• Primary outcome: stress severity measured by Lipp's Stress Symptoms Inventory (ISSL). Secondary outcomes included depressive symptoms and general well-being.

Main Results:

• The MBP group showed a significant decrease in chronic stress symptoms from a median of six to two (p < 0.001).
• Significant improvements were observed in depressive symptoms and general well-being in the MBP group (p < 0.01).
• No significant changes in hair cortisol or serum BDNF levels were detected; the control group showed no significant outcome changes.

Conclusions:

• Mindfulness-based programs are effective in reducing stress and depressive symptoms in infertile women.
• MBP significantly enhances general well-being for women experiencing infertility.
• MBP offers a promising non-pharmacological intervention for managing psychological distress in infertility.