Effects of Nonpharmacological Interventions on Stress, Anxiety, and Depression of Pregnant Women: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.
Filiz Değirmenci, Kadriye Pınar Ambarcioğlu Kisaçam, Duygu Vefikuluçay Yilmaz
PMID 40387605WHAT IT FOUND
Spiritual meditation ranked as the most effective nonpharmacological intervention for reducing stress, anxiety, and depression in pregnant women.
Mindfulness-based stress reduction was the top choice specifically for stress. Most other therapies, including yoga and music, showed no significant benefit over standard prenatal care.
Key findings
01Spiritual meditation was statistically more effective than the control group for reducing stress (PSS-14), anxiety (STAI-S), and depression (EPDS).
02Mindfulness-based stress reduction was the most effective intervention for reducing stress measured by PSS-10, ranking ahead of yoga and music.
03Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy was the second most effective intervention for reducing depression, outperforming yoga, CBT, and music.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
60% of the included studies were rated as high risk of bias. The network consisted of star-shaped comparisons against control only, meaning direct comparisons between the different therapies were not possible. The analysis used post-intervention scores rather than change scores, which may have reduced statistical power. The study excluded women with existing mental health conditions, chronic illnesses, or pregnancy complications, so results apply to healthy pregnant women. Cortisol levels were planned as an outcome but were not analyzed due to inconsistent measurement methods across studies.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume spiritual meditation is universally superior or safe for all patients. The study included only healthy pregnant women, excluding those with diagnosed mental illness or pregnancy complications. Additionally, the high risk of bias in most included trials means these rankings should be treated as tentative guidance rather than definitive evidence.