Mindfulness-based stress reduction intervention during pregnancy changes maternal brain.
Yvan Gomez, Ayako Nakaki, Allegra Conti, Sara Castro-Barquero, Benedetta Gambosi, Irene Casas, Mariona Genero, Lina Youssef, Leticia Benitez, Noelia Encabo, Rosa Casas, Andrés Martín-Asuero, Teresa Oller-Guzmán, Ivette Morilla, Anabel Martínez-Àran, Nuria Bargallo, Nicola Toschi, Ramon Estruch, Eduard Vieta, Fàtima Crispi, Eduard Gratacos, Francesca Crovetto
Scientific reports July 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-07787-9
Summary
Remarkably, engaging in mindfulness during pregnancy can positively alter a mother's brain. A study explored if Mindfulness-based stress reduction impacts the maternal brain. Pregnant women participated in an 8-week program. Using MRI and Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy, findings revealed that participants in the stress reduction group developed larger surface areas in a key frontal Brain region and showed beneficial changes in brain metabolites. This indicates that Mindfulness-based stress reduction during Pregnancy positively affects maternal brain structure and chemistry.
Abstract
Our aim is to evaluate the effect of a structured stress reduction intervention based on mindfulness during pregnancy on the maternal brain. We report a secondary analysis of IMPACT BCN, a randomized clinical trial including pregnant women randomly allocated to 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (n = 41) or usual care (without any intervention, n = 35). Maternal magnetic resonance (MR) was performed in the third trimester, cluster-wise analysis was used to assess cortical morphometric differences, and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) to evaluate the metabolic characteristics. Mindfulness status was evaluated using the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ). Results showed that participants from Stress reduction group had significantly larger surface areas in the right superior frontal region as compared to the Usual care group (90%CI: 0.023-0.029, p = 0.03). The1H-MRS revealed that Stress reduction group participants, had higher concentrations of myo-inositol (adjusted mean difference D 0.37 mol/L, 95%CI 0.05-0.69) as compared to Usual care. Participants who had high mindfulness on FFMQ facets of non-judgmental (D 358.5 mm2, 95%CI 53.5-663.6) and non-reactivity (D 362.3 mm2, 95%CI 18.8-705.7) had larger right superior frontal area. In conclusion, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program during pregnancy has a significant effect on maternal brain structure and is associated with metabolite concentration changes.