Effect of mindfulness meditation on depression during pregnancy: A meta-analysis
Yuchao Li, Jinghui Chen, Baoxia Chen, Tingting Wang, Zhusheng Wu, Xia Huang, Shanshan Li
Frontiers in Psychology September 14, 2022 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.963133 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review with meta-analysis Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 658 |
| Population | Pregnant women with depression |
| Interventions | Mindfulness meditation Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy |
| Topics | Depression Meditation |
| Keywords | Mindfulness meditation Pregnancy Meta-analysis Randomized controlled trial |
| Key findings | Mindfulness meditation had a positive effect on depression during pregnancy (SMD = −0.786, 95% CI −1.289 to −0.283, P < 0.001). |
Abstract
PurposeThis study systematically evaluates the effect of mindfulness meditation on depression during pregnancy. We provide evidence-based suggestions for preventing and reducing depression during pregnancy by exploring the most effective intervention mode, cycle, and frequency of mindfulness meditation.MethodsRecords were retrieved from PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, and Science Direct. A total of 1,612 randomized controlled trial studies on the effect of mindfulness meditation on pregnancy depression were collected. 10 studies with 658 subjects meeting the inclusion criteria were extracted and analyzed by Revman 5.3 to evaluate study qualities. Stata 12.0 was used for the meta-analysis.ResultsMindfulness meditation had a positive effect on depression during pregnancy [standardized difference of the mean (SMD) = −0.786, 95% confidence interval (−1.289, −0.283), P < 0.001]. Subgroup analysis showed that mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) had the best intervention effect on depression during pregnancy (SMD = 2.795), the best intervention duration was below 4 weeks (SMD = 1.756), applied from the first to the third stage of pregnancy (SMD = 1.024), the frequency guided by experts was less than six times a week (SMD = 2.055) of <60 min each time (SMD = 1.068), and completing homework by themselves every day for 30 mins (SMD = 1.822) was most significant for the improvement of depression during pregnancy. We found high heterogeneity across studies [q = 97.003, DF = 10, I2 = 88.0% (P < 0.001), I2 > 75%]. This may be caused by variance in measurement tools, among which Beck Depression Inventory-II was a significant source of heterogeneity.ConclusionMindfulness meditation can improve the prevention, remission, and reduction of depression during pregnancy and can be used as an auxiliary measure for the clinical treatment of pregnancy depression.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on depression, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 8
- The effect of mindfulness meditation on depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Scientific Reports August 30, 2024
- The Role of Attentional Control in Mindfulness Intervention for Emotional Distress: A Randomized Controlled Trial With Longitudinal Mediation Analyses. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy 2024
- The Impact of Mindfulness Programmes on Anxiety, Depression and Stress During Pregnancy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Healthcare June 9, 2025
- Mindfulness-based interventions for perinatal depression, anxiety, and stress: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials, with an exploratory subgroup signal by delivery mode Frontiers in Psychiatry August 4, 2026
- Mindfulness-Based Programs for Perinatal Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and Psychological Well-Being: A Systematic Meta-Review Mindfulness July 22, 2026
and 3 more in the library
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