Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting Education on Pregnant Women

The Efficacy of a Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting Education on Pregnant Women's Childbirth Self-efficacy, Psychological Health and Maternal Outcomes: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The purpose of this study is to explore the differences between stress, depression, childbirth self-efficacy, mindfulness and postnatal maternal outcomes in pregnant women with Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting education program.

Being a mother is a huge change for women, and she will undergo a high degree of change and a strong threat in this transformation process. The purpose of this study is to explore the efficacy of a Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting(MBCP) Education Program on prenatal stress, depression, mindfulness, childbirth self-efficacy, and postnatal maternal outcomes. Randomized Controlled Trial comparing two education programs with health and singleton pregnant women is run by the Random Allocation Software (Saghaei, 2004). Use the G-Power 3.1.9 windows: repeated measures and between factors among two groups to calculate the number of samples, and setting the power = .8, α = .05, effect size = .25. The estimated number of samples may be lost 20%, total 104 samples ( 52 samples in each group). The protocol for the study used MBCP education, this program helps participants practice in the present moment, so that they may develop more confidence and well-being during pregnancy. The MBCP course is held for 3 hrs once a week for 8 weeks. They also had the home practice of 30 minutes a day with a DVD for the experimental group. The control group attending a hospital-based antenatal education program for 2 hrs once a month for 2 months from hospital staff nurses in all aspects of pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum. This study uses a standard verbal script to the eligible participants who were volunteers of pregnant women in the waiting room of metropolitan hospital in Taiwan.

The intervention includes 3-hour classes per week during the duration of eight weeks and a 7- hour silent meditation practice as well.

Self reported the perception of stress change from baseline to 6 months after childbirth using The Perceived Stress Scale

Self reported the symptoms with depression and anxiety change from baseline to 6 months after childbirth using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale

Self reported the childbirth self-efficacy change from baseline to 6 months after childbirth using the Childbirth Self-Efficacy Inventory

Self reported the mindfulness change from baseline to 6 months after childbirth using Five Factor Mindfulness Questionnaire

Inclusion Criteria: Subjects were pregnant from 13th to 28th weeks gestation with a singleton pregnancy Subjects were at the age over 20 Could speak and read Chinese fluently Willing and be able to attend the education program Determined to have a vaginal birth Exclusion Criteria: Taking medication for diagnosing mental illness With complicated or high-risk pregnancies

Pan WL, Chang CW, Chen SM, Gau ML. Assessing the effectiveness of mindfulness-based programs on mental health during pregnancy and early motherhood - a randomized control trial. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2019 Oct 10;19(1):346. doi: 10.1186/s12884-019-2503-4.