Prenatal Mindfulness Training and Race-Related Vigilance: A Mixed-Methods Study Among Pregnant Women at Risk for Hypertensive Disorders.
Regan Gregory, Natalie Watson-Singleton, Amanda Desmarattes et al.
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In 30 seconds
This mixed-methods study, conducted within a randomized clinical trial, examined prenatal mindfulness training in 53 pregnant women of color at risk for hypertensive disorders. Participants were assigned to mindfulness training or usual care and completed measures of race-related vigilance and stress before and after randomization; interviews explored intervention experiences among 9 Black or Latina participants. Race-related vigilance decreased significantly with mindfulness training relative to usual care (F = 4.64, P = .04). Interview findings described race-specific stressors and mindfulness as a way to reduce reactions to them.
Key findings
- Race-related vigilance decreased significantly after mindfulness training compared with usual care (F = 4.64, P = .04).
- Interviews with 9 Black or Latina participants described race-specific stressors and mindfulness as a tool for reducing reactions to stressors.
Why it matters
Race-related vigilance is a psychological consequence of discrimination that may affect pregnant women of color. These findings suggest prenatal mindfulness training could help reduce this response, while also underscoring that individual interventions do not address discriminatory policies and practices in healthcare systems that contribute to pregnancy disparities.
What to keep in mind
The study included 53 participants, and qualitative interviews involved only 9 Black or Latina women who received the intervention; the abstract does not report effects on pregnancy outcomes.