Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction to Improve Pain Tolerance and Prevent Postpartum Stress, Anxiety, and Depression
Nurul Azizah, Rafhani Rosyidah, Widi Arti
IJNP June 30, 2026 DOI: 10.18196/ijnp.v10i1.28388 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 60 |
| Population | Postpartum women within 1-3 days after vaginal delivery, aged 20-35 years, at Alfa Medika Surabaya |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) |
| Duration | Three consecutive days of MBSR sessions |
| Measures | VAS, PSS-10, STAI-S, EPDS |
| Topics | Anxiety Depression Meditation |
| Key findings | Three consecutive days of MBSR reduced pain, stress, anxiety, and depression more than control care in postpartum women, with mean differences of 4.73 for pain, 23.80 for stress, 38.97 for anxiety, and 3.27 for depression. The authors conclude MBSR is effective and potentially useful as a low-cost complementary intervention in early postpartum midwifery or nursing services. |
Abstract
Background: Postpartum women are vulnerable to pain and psychological disturbances such as stress, anxiety, and depression, which may affect maternal well-being and infant care. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a promising non-pharmacological intervention to enhance postpartum recovery.
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of MBSR in improving pain tolerance and reducing stress, anxiety, and depression in postpartum women.
Method: This quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest control group design was conducted at Alfa Medika Surabaya from March to May 2025. A total of 60 postpartum women were recruited using simple random sampling and allocated to the intervention (n=30) and control (n=30) groups. Inclusion criteria included postpartum within 1-3 days after vaginal delivery, aged 20-35 years, and willing to participate. The intervention group received MBSR sessions for three consecutive days. Outcomes were measured using VAS, PSS-10, STAI-S, and EPDS. Data were analyzed using an independent t-test and a Mann-Whitney test.
Results: MBSR significantly reduced pain with a mean difference of 4.73 ± 1.015 with P = 0.003, a decrease in stress with a mean difference of 23.80 ± 3.188 with P = 0.002, anxiety with a mean difference of 38.97 ± 5.027 with P = 0.001, and depression scores also decreased more in the MBSR group with a mean difference of 3.27 ± 1.530 with P=0.018.
Conclusion: MBSR is effective in reducing pain intensity, as well as reducing postpartum stress and anxiety levels. Clinically, MBSR has the potential to be applied as a practical, inexpensive, and easy-to-integrate non-pharmacological complementary intervention in midwifery or nursing services during the early postpartum period to support mothers’ psychological well-being.