Outcomes of Structured Psychotherapy for Emotional Adjustment in a Childless Couple diagnosed with Recurrent Pregnancy Loss: A Unique Investigation.
Ansha Patel, N Dinesh, P S V N Sharma, Pratap Kumar, V S Binu
Journal of human reproductive sciences April 1, 2018 DOI: 10.4103/jhrs.jhrs_127_17 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 2 |
| Population | A couple with a history of recurrent miscarriages and secondary infertility |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based therapy |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Infertility Counseling Case study Psychotherapy Emotional distress Recurrent miscarriages Couple |
| Key findings | The authors report that mindfulness-based therapy delivered alongside routine fertility treatment helped the couple engage with miscarriage-related stress, pregnancy uncertainty, and fertility-related emotional struggles, transforming stressors into less painful experiences. They contend that psychological intervention remains an overlooked area in recurrent pregnancy loss and call for controlled studies to establish what works, for whom, when, and how. |
Abstract
Losing a much-awaited pregnancy and an unborn child, time and again is known to be a painful experience in recurrent miscarriage or pregnancy loss (RPL). Literature on psychological consequences of RPL is abundant. Nonetheless, application of psychological intervention in RPL remains to be an overlooked area. Using a repeated measures design and standardized psychological measures, this case study assessed the outcomes of mindfulness-based therapy administered with routine fertility treatment in a couple with the history of recurrent miscarriages and secondary infertility. Data analysis was done using clinically significant change and analysis of graphic trends. Psychotherapy helped the couple initiate a meaningful discourse with the stress following miscarriage, uncertainty of pregnancy, and fertility-related emotional struggles by mindfully transforming stressors into less painful experiences. Control studies on applications of such therapies are needed to provide definitive answers to "what works, for whom, when, and how," with distressed patients experiencing RPL.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brain sources of EEG gamma frequency during volitionally meditation-induced, altered states of consciousness, and experience of the self Advanced meditator | 2001 | Case study | n = 1 |
| Mindfulness Meditation for Alcohol Relapse Prevention: A Feasibility Pilot Study Adult alcohol-dependent graduates of an intensive outpatient program | 2008 | Prospective case series | n = 19 |
| How does it feel to lack a sense of boundaries? A case study of a long-term mindfulness meditator. A single long-term mindfulness practitioner (S) with 40 years of practice in... | 2015 | Qualitative case study | n = 1 |
| Loving‐kindness meditation to enhance recovery from negative symptoms of schizophrenia Individuals suffering from schizophrenia-spectrum disorders with persistent negative... | 2009 | Case study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Problem Gambling A female problem gambler | 2011 | Case study | n = 1 |