Feasibility of Modified Mindfulness Training Program for Antenatal Depression and Perceived Stress Among Expectant Mothers with Male Child Preference.

Antenatal depression and perceived stress are prevalent mental health challenges faced by pregnant women, and they are associated with male child preference. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of a modified mindfulness training program for reducing antenatal depression and perceived stress levels among expectant mothers with a male child preference at a public sector tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. The present feasibility trial was conducted among expectant mothers with antenatal depression and perceived stress with a male child preference using the ADAPT-ITT framework. Assessments of the needs and experiences of the new target population were carried out through an exploratory and descriptive qualitative study. In-depth interviews were conducted using a semi-structured interview guide and analyzed using a thematic analysis process. Repeated-measures MANOVA was employed to investigate the effect of time on antenatal depression and perceived stress scores in the feasibility of the intervention. Five major themes emerged from the qualitative data. A significant influence of time was established on the antenatal depression scores, with perceived scores of F (2, 326) = 21.244, < 0.001, and F (2, 326) = 310.748, < 0.001. The antenatal depression scores significantly decreased from pre-intervention to post-intervention (mean difference = 4.00, < 0.001), and there was a slightly significant decline from post-intervention to follow-up (mean difference = 1.167, = 0.001). The perceived stress scores were significantly reduced from pre-intervention to post-intervention (mean difference = 10.214, < 0.001), and there was a minor but significant decline from post-intervention to follow-up (mean difference = 0.333, = 0.043). This study concludes that the modified mindfulness training program is a culturally suitable, contextually relevant intervention in the context of Pakistan and it significantly reduced antenatal depression and perceived stress in expectant mothers with a male child preference. The modified mindfulness training program was modified in accordance with the context of Islamic teaching regarding health-promoting lifestyles and religious spirituality.