Effects of Mindfulness-Based Practices in the Perinatal and Postpartum Periods on Women's Health: A Systematic Review
Melike Dişsiz, Duygu Özer
Psikiyatride Güncel Yaklaşımlar November 2, 2024 DOI: 10.18863/pgy.1464521 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 26 |
| Population | Perinatal and postpartum women |
| Interventions | mindfulness-based practices self-help programs in an online setting |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Perinatal Postpartum Mental health Physical health Ruh sağlığı Fiziksel sağlık |
| Key findings | Mindfulness interventions significantly reduce fear of childbirth, depression, anxiety, and stress, and enhance psychological well-being, self-efficacy, self-compassion, and mindfulness in perinatal and postpartum women. |
Abstract
The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the effects of mindfulness interventions on women's mental health in the perinatal and postpartum period. In the study, randomized controlled studies published in the last five years, from January 2018 to September 2023, were searched in CINAHL, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Science Direct, and Springer Link databases. The keywords "Pregnancy", "Pregnant", "Prenatal", "Perinatal", "Postpartum", "Mindfulness", "Meditation", "Self-compassion" and "Randomized controlled trial" were used while searching the databases. The assessed articles were subjected to quality assessment using the PRISMA checklist and the Joanna Briggs Institute's Critical Appraisal Checklist for Randomized Controlled Trials. As a result of the search, 26 studies were found. The studies revealed that the most commonly applied mindfulness intervention among intervention groups was self-help programs in an online setting. Mindfulness-based practices significantly impacted women's mental health, reducing fear of childbirth, depression, anxiety, and stress levels, while enhancing psychological well-being, self-efficacy, self-compassion, and mindfulness. Furthermore, these practices also benefited women’s physical health, contributing to higher rates of normal vaginal births and increased maternal-fetal attachment. They were found to lessen birth pain, reduce the need for medication or anesthesia, and support the adoption of healthy lifestyle behaviors. These findings suggest that mindfulness interventions, which positively influence the mental health of both mothers and infants, should be widely applied to women, and the results of this study should be disseminated.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being Diverse adult clinical populations | 2014 | Meta-analysis | n = 3,515 |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis Healthy subjects | 2009 | Systematic review and meta-analysis | |
| The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Nonclinical groups of adult meditators | 2012 | Meta-analysis | n = 163 |
| Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse Adults with recurrent depression in full or partial remission | 2016 | Meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomized controlled trials | n = 1,258 |
| Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials | 2011 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- The effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction on self-compassion and parent-child relationship quality in health caregivers BMC Psychology November 16, 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
- Reconnecting with the Self and Fetus through Mindfulness: Supporting Inner Balance and Bonding during Pregnancy Psikiyatride Güncel Yaklaşımlar April 14, 2026
Cites 8
- Mindfulness Interventions Annual Review of Psychology September 30, 2016
- The Effect of Mindfulness‐Based Sexual Counseling on Sexual Distress, Attitude Toward Sexuality, and Body Image Concerns in Pregnant Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health June 9, 2023
- The effect of mindfulness-based counseling on the childbirth experience of primiparous women: a randomized controlled clinical trial. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth April 21, 2023
- A Web-Based, Mindful, and Compassionate Parenting Training for Mothers Experiencing Parenting Stress: Results from a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of the Mindful Moment Program. Mindfulness November 10, 2022
- Positive intervention effect of mobile health application based on mindfulness and social support theory on postpartum depression symptoms of puerperae BMC Women's Health October 10, 2022
and 3 more in the library