Mindfulness-Based Programs for Perinatal Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and Psychological Well-Being: A Systematic Meta-Review
Kate Gliske, Gretchen Buchanan, Delaina Carlson, Qiyue Cai, Molly E. Waring, Na Zhang
Mindfulness July 22, 2026 DOI: 10.1007/s12671-026-02917-4 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Meta-review (systematic review of systematic reviews) Randomized Preregistered Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Perinatal people (pregnant and up to 12 months postpartum) as studied in included systematic reviews |
| Interventions | MBSR MBCT) |
| Topics | Anxiety Depression Meditation |
| Key findings | Mindfulness-based programs generally reduced depression, anxiety, and fear of childbirth and improved mindfulness and childbirth self-efficacy among perinatal people, with variable effects on stress and no evidence for positive state of mind. Effects varied by population, curriculum, study design, and delivery format. |
Abstract
Maternal mental health during pregnancy and the postpartum period is critical for offspring’s well-being. Mindfulness-based programs (MBPs) are evidence-based approaches that reduce psychological distress such as depression, anxiety, and stress while promoting well-being. MBPs may be particularly suited to the perinatal period, given concerns about psychotropic medication use during pregnancy and postpartum and their emphasis on strengthening the mind–body connection. Several systematic reviews and meta-analyses have examined MBPs in perinatal populations; however, they vary in the populations, interventions, contexts, and outcomes considered. This meta-review summarized evidence from existing research on the effectiveness of MBPs for reducing psychological distress and promoting well-being among perinatal people. Four electronic databases were searched through October 2024. Eligible studies were English-language systematic reviews with or without meta-analyses of evidence-based MBPs in pregnancy through 12 months postpartum. Outcomes included psychological distress (i.e., depression, anxiety, stress, fear of childbirth) and well-being (i.e., trait mindfulness and childbirth self-efficacy). We summarized study and intervention characteristics, pooled effectiveness, review-level moderators, and quality metrics. We identified 17 systematic reviews (including 14 meta-analyses) published from 2016 to 2024. Quality ratings were primarily low to moderate, with substantial limitations and variations in the existing literature preventing strong conclusions from being drawn. Given this caveat, based on our analysis, MBPs generally showed favorable effects among perinatal populations for reducing depression, anxiety, and fear of childbirth, and improving mindfulness, and childbirth self-efficacy, with variable effectiveness for stress and no evidence of effectiveness for “positive state of mind.” Moderators of effectiveness included population characteristics (clinical vs. non-clinical), program curriculum (e.g., MBSR vs. MBCT), type of study design (randomized controlled trial vs. other), and intervention delivery variations (e.g., group vs. non-group). This meta-review provides some indication that MBPs are an effective intervention for multiple domains of psychological distress and well-being in perinatal people. Future research should use consistent protocols with appropriate measures and more comprehensive reporting of populations, interventions, and outcomes to clarify who benefits most. The study was preregistered ( https://osf.io/95nhd ).
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on anxiety, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cites 20
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Mindfulness Interventions Annual Review of Psychology September 30, 2016
- What defines mindfulness-based programs? The warp and the weft Psychological Medicine December 29, 2016
- How Does Mindfulness Training Affect Health? A Mindfulness Stress Buffering Account Current Directions in Psychological Science December 1, 2014
- Effects of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) on depression in pregnant women: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders May 1, 2024
and 15 more in the library