Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Childbirth Parenting for Pregnant (MBCP) Interventions on Maternal Psychological Well-being: A Systematic Review
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Page: 1062-1068
Abstract
Background: Pregnancy is a critical life stage characterized by physiological and psychosocial changes that increase vulnerability to mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, and fear of childbirth. Objective: To identify Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting (MBCP) as an intervention for reducing depression, anxiety, stress, and fear of childbirth, as well as enhancing prenatal attachment. Methods: This systematic review followed the PRISMA guidelines to analyze and present findings from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving pregnant women who received MBCP or other mindfulness-based interventions during pregnancy and reported outcomes related to mental health or prenatal attachment. Studies published in English between 2020 and 2025 were considered. Observational studies, reviews, and research without relevant outcomes were excluded. Literature searches were conducted in PubMed, ScienceDirect, ProQuest, Scopus, and ClinicalKey. Methodological quality was assessed using the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for RCTs. Due to heterogeneity in interventions and outcomes, meta-analysis was not feasible. A narrative synthesis was performed by summarizing study characteristics and thematically grouping results. Results: Ten RCTs (N=907) consistently demonstrated reductions in depression, anxiety, stress, and fear of childbirth, as well as improvements in prenatal attachment. Conclusion: MBCP interventions are effective in enhancing maternal psychological health and reducing fear of childbirth, with potential benefits for both mother and infant. Integration of MBCP into antenatal care and cultural adaptation is recommended. Further research is needed to evaluate long-term outcomes, cost-effectiveness, and implementation strategies across diverse contexts.
Downloads
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
References
Lönnberg G, Jonas W, Unternaehrer E, Bränström R, Nissen E, Niemi M. Effects of a mindfulness based childbirth and parenting program on pregnant women’s perceived stress and risk of perinatal depression–Results from a randomized controlled trial. J Affect Disord 2020;262:133–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2019.10.048. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2019.10.048
Zhang D, Tsang KWK, Duncan LG, Yip BHK, Chan DCC, Lee EKP, et al. Effects of the Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting (MBCP) Program Among Pregnant Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Mindfulness (N Y) 2023;14:50–65. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-022-02046-8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-022-02046-8
Veringa‐Skiba IK, de Bruin EI, van Steensel FJA, Bögels SM. Fear of childbirth, nonurgent obstetric interventions, and newborn outcomes: A randomized controlled trial comparing mindfulness‐based childbirth and parenting with enhanced care as usual. Birth 2022;49:40–51. https://doi.org/10.1111/birt.12571. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/birt.12571
Lönnberg G, Niemi M, Salomonsson B, Bränström R, Nissen E, Jonas W. Exploring the Effects of Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting on Infant Social-Emotional Development. Mindfulness (N Y) 2021;12:2009–20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-021-01658-w. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-021-01658-w
Fındık E, Yılmaz Sezer N, Aker MN, Badur D. The effects of the Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting Program (MBCP) on prenatal attachment, depression, stress, and anxiety in pregnant women: A randomized controlled trial. J Affect Disord 2025;376:341–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2025.02.030. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2025.02.030
van Steensel FJA, Veringa-Skiba IK, Sauer AR, de Bruin EI, Bögels SM. Cost-Effectiveness of the Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting Program for Pregnant Women With Fear of Childbirth. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing 2024;53:57–68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jogn.2023.10.004. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jogn.2023.10.004
Feli R, Heydarpour S, Yazdanbakhsh K, Heydarpour F. The effect of mindfulness-based counselling on the anxiety levels and childbirth satisfaction among primiparous pregnant women: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Psychiatry 2024;24:964. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-024-06442-3. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-024-06442-3
Gheibi Z, Abbaspour Z, Haghighyzadeh MH, Javadifar N. Effects of a mindfulness-based childbirth and parenting program on maternal-fetal attachment: A randomized controlled trial among Iranian pregnant women. Complement Ther Clin Pract 2020;41:101226. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2020.101226. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2020.101226
Van der Meulen RT, Veringa-Skiba IK, Van Steensel FJA, Bögels SM, De Bruin EI. Mindfulness-based childbirth and parenting for pregnant women with high fear of childbirth and their partners: outcomes of a randomized controlled trial assessing short- and longer-term effects on psychological well-being, birth and pregnancy experience. Midwifery 2023;116:103545. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2022.103545. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2022.103545
Tanke A, Tobe H, Usui Y, Yonezawa K, Tahara-Sasagawa E, Haruna M. Effectiveness of an online Japanese version of the mindfulness-based childbirth and parenting programme on prenatal mental health: A single group clinical trial. Midwifery 2025;145:104379. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2025.104379. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2025.104379