Mindfulness training for pregnant women doubles the chances of natural childbirth

Short group mindfulness training for pregnant women and their partners reduces the risk of a medically unnecessary Caesarean birth by 50% and doubles the risk of a natural birth. This is the conclusion of UvA researchers Irena Veringa, Esther de Bruin, Bonny van Steensel and Susan Bögels in an article published in the leading American scientific journal “Birth”.

The Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting (MBCP) training was developed by American midwife and mindful trainer Nancy Bardacke and focuses on pregnant women who are particularly afraid of childbirth.

Fear of childbirth

The study was conducted with a group of 140 pregnant women and their partners. Half of this group received mindfulness training from trained midwives, the other half received additional counseling for their fears as part of usual care. The differences the researchers found between the two groups were marked. The differences were apparent both in the degree of anxiety of pregnant women before and after training (measured by internationally recognized and validated questionnaires), and also in the way women eventually gave birth (based on medical records ).

The risk of excessive fear of childbirth according to the widely used W-DEQ scale decreased by 36% for women who received mindfulness training. Catastrophism about labor pain also decreased significantly in the mindfulness group compared to the control group, while acceptance of the physiology of labor pain increases substantially.

During childbirth, participants in the mindfulness group used 36% less epidural anesthesia than the control group, and 51% had fewer medically elective Caesarean sections. The infant’s Apgar score (a test to get a quick impression of a newborn’s general condition) after one minute was higher in the mindfulness group, but this effect was no longer significant after five. minutes.

Reduction of non-medically urgent interventions

Irena Veringa: “The results of the study are of great importance worldwide for the care of pregnant women and newborns. One of the main goals of the World Health Organization in this area is the reduction of fear of childbirth, which in turn reduces the number of non-medically necessary interventions during labor. The use of medical interventions during childbirth around the world has increased dramatically. Of course, this is a good thing when it comes to women’s access to emergency medical care, but it is worrisome when it comes to elective medical procedures, as they can also have adverse consequences. for mother and child.

A cesarean section always carries health risks for the mother and increases the risk of complications in the next pregnancy, Veringa explains. “Children born by cesarean section have an increased risk of allergoimmunologic problems, asthma and obesity later in life.”

Half of children in China and Brazil and a third of children in the United States now give birth by Caesarean section. In the Netherlands, where this study took place, there was also an increase in referrals for elective medical interventions during childbirth. “The study results pave the way for a simple method to reduce fear of childbirth, allowing women and their partners to have better control over childbirth and dramatically reducing non-emergency medical treatment,” says Veringa.

The researchers believe their study could offer a new perspective for strengthening obstetric care and integrating medical and psychosocial aspects during pregnancy and childbirth.