"This course has made it easier for me to embrace myself and my child": A qualitative study of an adapted mindfulness-based stress reduction course for pregnant women with psychosocial vulnerabilities.
Luna Berg Pedersen, Nanna Bjerg Ramsdal, Lone Overby Fjorback, Sophie Lykkegaard Ravn, Michelle Kolls, Sine Skovbjerg
PLOS mental health 2025 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmen.0000412 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 5 |
| Population | First-time mothers with psychosocial vulnerabilities who participated in a prenatal MBSR course |
| Intervention | Adapted Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course |
| Duration | Interviews conducted approximately one year postnatally |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Prenatal MBSR may facilitate mother-child bonding and support the transition into motherhood for women with psychosocial vulnerabilities. |
Abstract
Mental disorders are commonly encountered in pregnancy complications, and women with a preconception history of mental disorders or other psychosocial vulnerabilities are at increased risk. Mental disorders, such as depression, can persist postnatal and adversely affect mother-infant bonding and infant development. Consequently, it is important to address prenatal mental health. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the impact of an adapted Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course for pregnant women with psychosocial vulnerabilities as a method to support transition into motherhood. This study was conducted in collaboration with the Danish Centre for Mindfulness, Aarhus University, and an obstetric ambulatory clinic at Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre. It serves as a supplement to a quantitative investigation of an adapted MBSR course, prenatal MBSR, targeting pregnant women with psychosocial vulnerabilities. Interviews were conducted with five first-time mothers approximately one year postnatally to explore their experiences integrating elements from prenatal MBSR into their transition to motherhood. A reflexive thematic analysis was carried out. Four themes were generated to understand whether and how pregnant women with psychosocial vulnerabilities integrated elements from prenatal MBSR into the transition to motherhood and in relation to their child: (1) Awareness of the present moment; (2) Acting with consciousness towards oneself and one's child; (3) Acceptance of oneself and one's child, and (4) When it is difficult to integrate elements from prenatal MBSR. The findings suggested that prenatal MBSR may facilitate mother-child bonding and support the transition into motherhood for women with psychosocial vulnerabilities. Furthermore, the course may assist mothers in coping with challenges associated with this transition. Integrating MBSR practices into prenatal care may serve as a preventive intervention against maladaptive maternal adjustment and foster improved mother-infant relationships among populations with psychosocial vulnerabilities.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on meditation, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cites 11
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- The Empirical Status of Mindfulness-Based Interventions: A Systematic Review of 44 Meta-Analyses of Randomized Controlled Trials Perspectives on Psychological Science February 16, 2021
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- Individual participant data systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials assessing adult mindfulness-based programmes for mental health promotion in non-clinical settings. Nature Mental Health July 10, 2023
- The effect of an adapted Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program on mental health, maternal bonding and birth outcomes in psychosocially vulnerable pregnant women: a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial in a Danish hospital-based outpatient setting. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies October 14, 2023
and 6 more in the library