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Effects of an App-Based Mindfulness Intervention during Pregnancy on the Infant’s Prenatal Androgen Exposure: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial

Eva-Maria Siegmann, Anna Eichler, Verena Nadine Buchholz, Jennifer Gerlach, Constanza A. Pontones, Adriana Titzmann, Nicolas Arnaud, Christiane Mühle, Matthias W. Beckmann, Peter Andreas Fasching, Oliver Kratz, Gunther H. Moll, Johannes Kornhuber, Bernd Lenz

Journal of Clinical Medicine September 23, 2023 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12196142 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Randomized controlled trial Pilot study Peer reviewed
Sample size 146
Population Pregnant women at gestation weeks 8–14 and their infants
Interventions App-based mindfulness-oriented intervention pregnancy education intervention
Duration 15-week intervention; 2D:4D assessed one year after delivery, anogenital distance assessed at delivery
Measures 2D:4D, anogenital distance
Topics Meditation
Citations 2
Key findings The mindfulness-oriented intervention did not significantly differ from the pregnancy education control in infants' 2D:4D or anogenital distance (partial η2 ≤ 0.01) or in maternal perceived stress, anxiety, depressiveness, or mindfulness. Descriptively, stress and anxiety decreased and mindfulness increased across pregnancy in both groups. The authors conclude the intervention did not significantly reduce prenatal androgen exposure or improve maternal outcomes relative to pregnancy education.

Abstract

Prenatal androgen exposure modulates the development of the brain, with lasting effects on its function and behavior over the infant’s life span. Environmental factors during pregnancy, in particular maternal stress, have been shown to influence the androgen load of the unborn child. We here addressed the research gap on whether a mindfulness intervention or a pregnancy education administered to pregnant women more affects the androgen exposure of the unborn child (quantified by the proxies of second-to-fourth digit length ratio (2D:4D) and anogenital distance assessed one year after delivery and at delivery, respectively). Moreover, we tested the mindfulness intervention’s effects on maternal perceived stress, anxiety, depressiveness, and mindfulness. Pregnant women (gestation weeks 8–14) were randomized to a 15-week app-based mindfulness-oriented intervention (N = 72) or a pregnancy education intervention (control condition; N = 74). The mindfulness-oriented group did not significantly differ from the pregnancy education group in infants’ 2D:4D or anogenital distance (partial η2 ≤ 0.01) or in maternal stress, anxiety, depressiveness, or mindfulness. However, the descriptive results indicate that across pregnancy, stress and anxiety decreased and mindfulness increased in both groups. Overall, this study did not show that the mindfulness intervention (relative to the pregnancy education) reduced the prenatal androgen exposure of the unborn children or improved the maternal outcomes significantly.

Comparable studies

Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment 2003 Randomized controlled trial n = 41
Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients 2000 Randomized controlled trial n = 145
Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults 2008 Randomized controlled trial n = 139
Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students 2007 Randomized controlled trial n = 40
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients 2004 Randomized controlled trial n = 73

Citations in the library

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Meditation Anxiety Depression