Nurturing Serenity: Unveiling the Power of Mindfulness on Perinatal Well-being, reveals research

Recent study investigates the relationship between trait mindfulness, measured early in pregnancy, and adverse perinatal outcomes in nulliparous individuals. A prospective cohort study was conducted at a tertiary care center, recruiting participants before 20 weeks of gestation. Mindfulness was assessed using the Mindfulness Attention and Awareness Scale (MAAS). Pregnancy and delivery data, including unplanned cesarean delivery (CD), gestational diabetes, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and a neonatal morbidity composite, were abstracted from electronic health records. The study involved 281 participants. The primary outcome was unplanned CD, while secondary outcomes included gestational diabetes, hypertensive disorders, and neonatal morbidity. Participants were divided into quartiles based on their mindfulness scores. Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze the data, adjusting for potential confounders such as maternal age, education, and history of anxiety or depression.

Study Findings

The findings indicated that individuals in the second and third mindfulness quartiles had significantly lower rates of unplanned CD compared to those in the highest quartile. However, no significant differences were observed in the rates of gestational diabetes, hypertensive disorders, or the neonatal morbidity composite across the mindfulness quartiles. The researchers posited that moderate levels of mindfulness might provide an optimal balance, fostering a calm state during labor without amplifying stress. The elevated CD rates among those with the highest trait mindfulness were unexpected, suggesting that heightened self-awareness without intentional non-judgmental focus might lead to maladaptive responses.

Implications and Recommendations

The study's implications suggest that the relationship between mindfulness and perinatal outcomes may be more complex than previously thought. It highlights the potential importance of active mindfulness practice, rather than just trait mindfulness levels, in mediating adverse outcomes. The study also suggests a nuanced approach to mindfulness interventions during pregnancy, potentially targeting those with moderate, rather than high, levels of trait mindfulness. Additionally, the study emphasizes the need for further research using mindfulness scales that provide more robust information about different aspects of trait mindfulness and exploration into how environmental or psychosocial factors affect trait mindfulness levels.

Key Points

-* The study is a prospective cohort investigation into the relationship between trait mindfulness, measured using the Mindfulness Attention and Awareness Scale (MAAS) before 20 weeks of gestation, and adverse perinatal outcomes in nulliparous individuals at a tertiary care center.

-* The study population consisted of 281 participants, and data on unplanned cesarean delivery (CD), gestational diabetes, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and a neonatal morbidity composite were collected from electronic health records.

-* Participants were divided into quartiles based on their mindfulness scores, and multivariable logistic regression was employed, adjusting for confounders such as maternal age, education, and history of anxiety or depression.

-* Individuals in the second and third mindfulness quartiles exhibited significantly lower rates of unplanned CD compared to those in the highest quartile.

-* No significant differences were found in the rates of gestational diabetes, hypertensive disorders, or neonatal morbidity composite across the mindfulness quartiles.

-* The study suggests a complex relationship between mindfulness and perinatal outcomes, highlighting the potential importance of active mindfulness practice, rather than just trait mindfulness levels, and the need for further research using more robust mindfulness scales and exploration into how environmental or psychosocial factors affect trait mindfulness levels.

Reference –

Audra C. Fain et al. (2025). Trait Mindfulness In Early Pregnancy And Adverse Perinatal Outcomes: A Prospective Cohort Study. *BMC Pregnancy And Childbirth*, 25. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-07194-y.