Stress-reducing interventions in pregnancy for the prevention of preterm birth: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Laura E Janssen, Adelia A Gieskes, Marjolein Kok, Christianne J M De Groot, Martijn A Oudijk, Marjon A De Boer
Journal of psychosomatic obstetrics and gynaecology December 1, 2023 DOI: 10.1080/0167482X.2023.2281238 via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractStress-reducing interventions during pregnancy, such as Pilates, yoga, mindfulness, and hypnosis, may lower the risk of preterm birth. A meta-analysis of ten studies involving 4,816 low-risk women found that those who received such interventions had a significantly lower rate of preterm birth (relative risk 0.50). However, the overall quality of the included studies was low, and the risk of bias was high, so the authors call for a high-quality randomized controlled trial to confirm the effectiveness.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Systematic review and meta-analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 4,816 |
| Population | Low-risk pregnant women |
| Interventions | Pilates yoga multidisciplinary stress reduction program music baby bonding education) hypnosis |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Hypnosis Pilates Preterm |
| Citations | 18 |
| Key finding | Stress-reducing interventions during pregnancy were associated with a 50% lower risk of preterm birth in low-risk women. |
Abstract
Preterm birth (PTB) is the leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Maternal stress during pregnancy is an established risk factor for PTB. We aimed to review the effects of stress-reducing interventions during pregnancy on PTB. Studies reporting on stress-reducing interventions during pregnancy and PTB rates in general low-risk obstetric populations were included. PTB rates, low birth weight (LBW) rates, mean gestational age and birth weight, maternal anxiety and stress, and adverse perinatal outcomes were investigated. Data were extracted using a standardized extraction form, pooled effect sizes were calculated with the random effects model. Ten studies with a total of 4.816 women were included. The interventions included Pilates, yoga, a multidisciplinary stress reduction program, combination therapy (combining mindfulness, yoga, music, baby bonding, and education), and hypnosis. The incidence of PTB was significantly lower in the intervention group (RR 0.50, 95% CI 0.35 - 0.71). The overall quality of the included studies was low, and the risk of bias was high. In conclusion, this study provides evidence supporting the potential efficacy of stress-reducing interventions in reducing the incidence of PTB in low-risk women. We propose a RCT of high quality to determine the effectiveness of stress-reducing interventions in reducing PTB risk.