The effectiveness of psychological interventions for pregnant women with anxiety in the antenatal period: A systematic review.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine the efficacy of psychological interventions, particularly mindfulness-based interventions, for treating anxiety in pregnant women during the antenatal period.
Results Summary
The review found that mindfulness-based interventions were the most effective for treating antenatal anxiety, though current guidelines do not reflect these findings. More rigorous RCTs are needed to confidently advocate for their use in practice.
Population
Pregnant women with anxiety during the antenatal period.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
mindfulness based interventions | decrease | anxiety | pregnant women in the antenatal period | - | are by far the most effective intervention | #1 |
psychological interventions | neutral | anxiety | pregnant women in the antenatal period | - | efficacy | #2 |
OBJECTIVE: Anxiety is a significant public health concern, that if untreated may lead to adverse outcomes for mother, baby and the family unit. The aim of this review was to determine the efficacy of psychological interventions for pregnant women with anxiety in the antenatal period. Although guidelines recommend psychological interventions for managing anxiety in the perinatal period, there is a lack of strong evidence on the most effective psychological intervention for use in the antenatal period. Effective non-pharmacological interventions are an important area that requires significant clinical attention. DESIGN: A systematic review of quantitative and qualitative studies was conducted using Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Medline, Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts (ASSIA), Web of Science and PsychInfo. Quality appraisal was performed using The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tool to assess methodological quality on all six included papers. All four RCT's were assessed separately using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. FINDINGS: Of the 7278 articles, six quantitative studies were included. The overall results of this review found that mindfulness based interventions are by far the most effective intervention for the treatment of anxiety in the antenatal period. These findings are not in line with current guidance on treatment of women with anxiety in the antenatal period and warrants immediate attention. KEY CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Healthcare professionals need to be aware of the potential benefits of mindfulness based interventions in practice. There is some evidence to support their use in the antenatal period, however, there remains insufficient evidence to confidently advocate for their use in practice. Follow-up research needs to be conducted on the efficacy of mindfulness based interventions on women with anxiety in the antenatal period using rigorous RCT's. Education and training of Midwives to help promote and use this intervention is recommended.