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Effects of a mindfulness-based intervention on fertility quality of life and pregnancy rates among women subjected to first in vitro fertilization treatment.

Behaviour research and therapy
February 1, 2016
Jing Li et al. (5 authors)
Clinical StudyComparative StudyJournal ArticleResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tHuman StudyClinical
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) in improving psychological outcomes and pregnancy rates among women undergoing their first IVF treatment.

Results Summary

The MBI group showed significant improvements in mindfulness, self-compassion, emotion regulation, coping strategies, and fertility quality of life, along with higher pregnancy rates compared to the control group. No significant changes were observed in the control group.

Population

Infertile women undergoing their first IVF treatment at a fertility medical center in China.

Effective Dosage

Not specified

Duration

Not specified

Interactions

None mentioned

Extracted Claims (8)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
mindfulness-based intervention (MBI)
increase
mindfulness
women subjected to first IVF treatment
-
significant increase
#1
mindfulness-based intervention (MBI)
increase
self-compassion
women subjected to first IVF treatment
-
significant increase
#2
mindfulness-based intervention (MBI)
increase
meaning-based coping strategies
women subjected to first IVF treatment
-
significant increase
#3
mindfulness-based intervention (MBI)
increase
all FertiQoL domains
women subjected to first IVF treatment
-
significant increase
#4
mindfulness-based intervention (MBI)
decrease
emotion regulation difficulties
women subjected to first IVF treatment
-
significant decrease
#5
mindfulness-based intervention (MBI)
decrease
active-avoidance coping strategies
women subjected to first IVF treatment
-
significant decrease
#6
mindfulness-based intervention (MBI)
decrease
passive-avoidance coping strategies
women subjected to first IVF treatment
-
significant decrease
#7
mindfulness-based intervention (MBI)
increase
pregnancy rates
women subjected to first IVF treatment
-
statistically significant differences
#8
Abstract

Generally, undergoing an in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment is an emotional and physical burden for the infertile woman, which may negatively influence the treatment outcome. We conducted a study to investigate the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) among women subjected to first IVF treatment at a fertility medical center in China. Among infertile women registered for their first IVF treatment, 58 completed the intervention, and 50 were assigned to a control group using a non-randomized controlled study. Standardized measures of mindfulness, self-compassion, emotion regulation difficulties, infertility-related coping strategies and fertility quality of life (FertiQoL) were endorsed pre- and post-MBI, and measure of pregnancy rates at the sixth months after the intervention. Both groups were shown to be equivalent at baseline. By the end of the intervention, women who attended the intervention revealed a significant increase in mindfulness, self-compassion, meaning-based coping strategies and all FertiQoL domains. Inversely, they presented a significant decrease in emotion regulation difficulties, active- and passive-avoidance coping strategies. Women in the control group did not present significant changes in any of the psychological measures. Moreover, there were statistically significant differences between participants in the pregnancy rates, the experiment group higher than the control group. Being fully aware of the present moment without the lens of judgment, seems to help women relate to their infertility and IVF treatment in new ways. This is beneficial for promoting their self-compassion, adaptive emotion regulation and infertility-related coping strategies, which, in turn, may influence the FertiQoL and pregnancy rates. The brief and nonpharmaceutical nature of this intervention makes it a promising candidate for women' use during first IVF treatment.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
Adaptation, PsychologicalAdultAwarenessEmotionsFemaleFertilityFertilization in VitroHumansInfertility, FemaleMindfulnessPregnancyPregnancy RatePsychometricsQuality of LifeSelf-ControlTreatment Outcome
Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy85/10
Quality70/10
Citation Metrics
Total Citations57
Citations/Year6.3
Relative Citation Ratio3.55
NIH Percentile88.2%
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.95
Weight Score1.85
Normalized Score0.68
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