The effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program on stress, subjective anxiety, self-compassion, and prenatal attachment in pregnant women with perinatal loss: A randomized controlled trial.
Death Studies January 18, 2026 Hatice Gül Öztaş, Esra Sabancı Baransel, Zeynep Aktaş
An eight-session Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program delivered over four weeks reduced stress and anxiety and increased self-compassion and prenatal attachment in pregnant women who had experienced a previous perinatal loss. Compared with a control group, women who completed MBSR scored lower on measures of pregnancy distress and subjective disturbance, with large effect sizes. They also reported higher self-compassion and stronger maternal-fetal attachment, both in time spent focusing on the baby and in quality of attachment. The results suggest MBSR is an effective intervention for this population.