Evaluating the Impact of an App-Delivered Mindfulness Meditation Program to Reduce Stress and Anxiety During Pregnancy: Pilot Longitudinal Study.
Donna Balsam, Dawn T Bounds, Amir M Rahmani, Adeline M. Nyamathi
JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting December 25, 2023 DOI: 10.2196/53933 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Longitudinal single-arm trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 20 |
| Population | Pregnant women |
| Dose | twice per day |
| Duration | Month-long trial |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Keywords | Alternative Applications Apps Complementary Heart rate variability Mhealth Maternal Mental health Mind-body Mindfulness app Mobile health Mobile phone Obstetrics Pregnancy Pregnant Sleep Stress |
| Citations | 13 |
| Key findings | Mindfulness meditation via the Headspace app significantly reduced self-reported stress, anxiety, and pregnancy anxiety, and improved one heart rate variability metric and sleep in pregnant women. |
Abstract
Stress and anxiety during pregnancy are extremely prevalent and are associated with numerous poor outcomes, among the most serious of which are increased rates of preterm birth and low birth weight infants. Research supports that while in-person mindfulness training is effective in reducing pregnancy stress and anxiety, there are barriers limiting accessibility. The aim of this paper is to determine if mindfulness meditation training with the Headspace app is effective for stress and anxiety reduction during pregnancy. A longitudinal, single-arm trial was implemented with 20 pregnant women who were instructed to practice meditation via the Headspace app twice per day during the month-long trial. Validated scales were used to measure participant's levels of stress and anxiety pre- and postintervention. Physiological measures reflective of stress (heart rate variability and sleep) were collected via the Oura Ring. Statistically significant reductions were found in self-reported levels of stress (P=.005), anxiety (P=.01), and pregnancy anxiety (P<.0001). Hierarchical linear modeling revealed a statistically significant reduction in the physiological data reflective of stress in 1 of 6 heart rate variability metrics, the low-frequency power band, which decreased by 13% (P=.006). A total of 65% of study participants (n=13) reported their sleep improved during the trial, and 95% (n=19) stated that learning mindfulness helped with other aspects of their lives. Participant retention was 100%, with 65% of participants (n=13) completing about two-thirds of the intervention, and 50% of participants (n=10) completing ≥95%. This study found evidence to support the Headspace app as an effective intervention to aid in stress and anxiety reduction during pregnancy.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on anxiety, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- The effectiveness of mHealth mindfulness interventions on perinatal psychological health: a systematic review. Oxford open digital health 2025
- Mindfulness for maternal health: A systematic umbrella review of effectiveness for addressing depression and anxiety symptoms Journal of Affective Disorders Reports October 11, 2026
- A digital mindfulness intervention improves sleep efficiency and heart rate variability in healthy adults. Scientific Reports March 21, 2026
- Tetrahedral feature map for analyzing meditative states in prenatal EEG Engineering Research Express May 6, 2025
Cites 4
- The effect of mindfulness‐based stress reduction on maternal anxiety and self‐efficacy: A randomized controlled trial Brain and Behavior April 23, 2020
- Mindfulness for pregnancy: A randomised controlled study of online mindfulness during pregnancy. Midwifery October 2018
- Effect of Mindfulness Meditation on Perceived Stress Scores and Autonomic Function Tests of Pregnant Indian Women. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research April 1, 2016
- Review and Evaluation of Mindfulness-Based iPhone Apps. JMIR mHealth and uHealth August 19, 2015