Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Happiness Pregnant Birth Parenting (HPBP) Programs on Mental Health During Pregnancy and Early Motherhood in China: A Multicenter Randomized Control Trial

Background: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of Happiness Pregnant Birth Parenting (HPBP) in preventing perinatal depression and reducing perceived anxiety and fear in Chinese pregnant women. Methods Women experiencing first-time pregnancy ( n = 104) were randomly allocated to the HPBP group or a parallel control treatment group; We collected data at baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1), three days after delivery (T2), and 42 days after delivery (T3). Participants completed questionnaires regarding depressive symptoms, perceived anxiety, fear, satisfaction with life, and five facets of mindfulness. We analyzed differences between the two groups and changes within the same group at the four time points using repeated-measures ANOVA. Results Compared to the active control treatment group, the HPBP group reported lower levels of perceived depressive symptoms at T2 ( p < .05, d = 1.83) and T3 ( p = .01, d = 2.21); significantly reduced anxiety at T1 ( p = .001, d = 5.31) and T2 ( p = .003, d = 6.12); significantly reduced fear at T1 ( p < .01, d = 14.95) and T2 ( p = .04, d = 10.95); and significantly increased life satisfaction at T1 ( p < .01, d = 3.86) and T3 ( p = .015, d = 3.1) and self-reported mindfulness at T1 ( p = .01, d = 6.81) and T2 ( p < .01, d = 8.7). Conclusions The findings indicate that the HPBP intervention based on mindfulness effectively decreases the risk of perinatal depression, anxiety, and fear. Thus, this research enhances our knowledge of effective intervention strategies to promote mental well-being and prevent perinatal depression or other negative mental states among pregnant women. Trial registration :Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR):ChiCTR2000033149; The date of first registration is 24/ 05/ 2020.