An eight-week mindfulness-based program was effective for reducing stress and depressive symptoms while increasing general well-being in a study of infertile women.
The Stress and Health study included 62 infertile women who underwent the program — which included meditation, relaxation, guided imagery, and other components — and 37 who were in a control group and received no intervention, eurekalert.org wrote.
The median number of symptoms of chronic stress recorded in the past month decreased from six before the program to two after the intervention. Depressive symptoms also decreased after the program, while general well-being improved. None of the outcomes changed significantly in the control group.
“Infertile women are often overwhelmed with chronic stress and are at increased risk for depression. We observed that a relatively brief program of mindfulness practice was able to reduce the self-perception of stress and depressive symptoms in this population,” said senior author Dr. Fernando Reis, of the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, in Brazil.
“This program offers a complementary support to mitigate the psychological burden of infertility.”
Source:Irandaily