This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based program on stress, salivary cortisol levels, marital relationships, and the incidence of successful pregnancy in infertile couples undergoing Assisted Reproductive Treatment. A randomized-controlled trial parallel design with two groups and repeated measures. Seventy-five infertile couples were randomly assigned into the control group (n = 37) and the experimental group (n = 38) receiving a mindfulness-based program. Repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), independent t-test, and chi-square test were used in data analysis. Stress and marital relationships of infertile women and their spouses in the experimental and control groups were statistically significant differences over time (p < 0.001, η2 = 0.76; p < 0.001, η2 = 0.75, respectively). At time 4, the infertile women and their spouses in the experimental group showed statistically significant differences in at least one pair in stress (p < 0.001, η2 = 0.87; p < 0.001, η2 = 0.85, respectively) and marital relationships (p < 0.001, η2 = 0.85; p < 0.001, η2 = 0.80, respectively). The salivary cortisol levels in the infertile women were statistically significant differences (p < 0.05). Finally, the rates of successful pregnancy in the infertile women were also statistically significant differences (p < 0.05). The mindfulness-based program can reduce stress and enhance marital relationship in infertile couples. This program can enhance successful pregnancy in infertile couple. Thai Clinical Trials Registry, TCTR ID: TCTR 20221014004.
Kerdmakmee et al. (Thu,) studied this question.