#102 : The Impact of Guided Meditation [Mindfulness Based Intervention] on the Stress Levels in Patients Undergoing Infertility Treatment

Abstract

BACKGROUND: 1 in 8 couples have difficulty in conception. The majority of them are prone to psychological vunerability, ranging from anxiety to depression leading to shame, guilt, low self-esteem all of which lead to a poor quality of life. Mindfulness meditation improves parasympathetic functions and is a powerful modulator of the sympathetic nervous system. AIMS & OBJECTIVES: To conduct a prospective, randomized, comparative trial at Private reproductive medicine clinic. To investigate the impact of ‘Guided Meditation’ on stress and anxiety level of infertile women during the infertility treatment. Via a questionnaires series and evaluation of autonomic function tests of patients before the intervention and after intervention Patient(s): All enrolled women undergoing infertility (n=75), were asked to practice guided meditation daily for three months, post which they were reevaluated. MATERIALS & METHODS: Inclusion Criteria Women with Primary infertility Age - 21 to 50 years Exclusion Criteria Known case of any psychological/psychiatric illness Already taking antipsychotics, any medicine related to mood disorders, anxiety, depression, interfering with the serotonin pathway Method/Design: Standardized scales of infertility-related coping strategies and fertility quality of life (FertiQoL), Becks Anxiety scale, Becks Depression scale, Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ 10) were endorsed pre and post-MBI at the end of three months. RESULT: The outcome measure is to evaluate if women post intervention revealed a significant increase in mindfulness, self-compassion, meaning-based coping strategies and changes in their FertiQoL, Beck’s anxiety scale and PHQ 10 domains. Inversely, if they presented a significant decrease in emotional regulation difficulties, active- and passive-avoidance coping strategies. CONCLUSION: The impact of Guided Meditation or MBI by practice and its effective symptomatic reduction in their Anxiety & Depression scores [Stress levels]