Mindfulness-based program for stress reduction in infertile women: Randomized controlled trial.
Simone F Nery, Sara P C Paiva, Érica L Vieira, Andressa B Barbosa, Edna M Sant'Anna, Maira Casalechi, Cynthia Dela Cruz, Antonio L Teixeira, Fernando M Reis
Stress and Health October 16, 2018 DOI: 10.1002/smi.2839 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Open-label, parallel, randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 99 |
| Population | Infertile women aged 18-50 years (median 37 years) |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based program (MBP) |
| Duration | 8-week program |
| Measures | Lipp's Stress Symptoms Inventory (ISSL), hair cortisol, serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) |
| Topics | Depression Meditation |
| Keywords | Hair Humans Infertility, female Hydrocortisone Brain-derived neurotrophic factor Treatment outcome Stress, psychological Quality of life Adolescent Middle aged Brazil Young adult Surveys and questionnaires Bdnf Cortisol |
| Key findings | The 8-week mindfulness-based program reduced the median number of chronic stress symptoms in the past month from six to two and also decreased depressive symptoms and improved general well-being, while hair cortisol and serum BDNF did not change significantly; none of the outcomes changed significantly in the control group. |
Abstract
Infertile women often experience chronic stress, which may have a negative impact on general well-being and may increase the burden of infertility. In this open-label, parallel, randomized controlled trial, infertile women aged 18-50 years (median 37 years) were assigned to an 8-week mindfulness-based program (MBP) or no intervention. The primary outcome was stress severity measured by the Lipp's Stress Symptoms Inventory (ISSL). Data were analyzed by modified intent-to-treat principle, which included all cases available to follow-up regardless of adherence to the intervention (62 participants from the MBP group and 37 from the control group). The median number of symptoms of chronic stress recorded in the past month decreased from six (interquartile range 2 to 9) before the MBP to two (interquartile range 1 to 4) after the intervention (p < 0.001, repeated measures analysis of variance with Time × Group interaction). Depressive symptoms also decreased after MBP, whereas general well-being improved (p < 0.01 for both outcomes). Hair cortisol and serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) did not change significantly between preintervention and postintervention. None of the outcomes changed significantly in the control group. MBP was effective in reducing stress and depressive symptoms while increasing general well-being in infertile women.
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
Cited by 11
- Application of Mindfulness-Based Psychological Interventions in Infertility. J Hum Reprod Sci 2020
- The effects of mindfulness therapy on infertile female patients: A meta-analysis. Technology and health care : official journal of the European Society for Engineering and Medicine 2024
- Mindfulness improves the mental health of infertile women: A systematic review. Journal of public health research July 1, 2023
- Chain mediation of rumination and anxiety state between mindfulness and depressed mood in infertile women. Scientific Reports April 23, 2025
- Effects of Mindfulness Therapy on Stress Biomarkers and Psychological Symptoms in Women With Recurrent Pregnancy Loss: A Randomized Clinical Trial Stress and Health October 1, 2026
and 6 more in the library
Cites 13
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Attending to the present: mindfulness meditation reveals distinct neural modes of self-reference Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience August 13, 2007
- What defines mindfulness-based programs? The warp and the weft Psychological Medicine December 29, 2016
- Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica April 28, 2011
- Neural mechanisms of attentional control in mindfulness meditation Frontiers in Neuroscience 2013
and 8 more in the library