A team from Soroka University, Israel, found 28% of women in the group who were in hypnosis became pregnant, compared with 14% of those who were not. Study of 185 women presented to the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology conference in Berlin. If the womb contracts during the transfer of the embryo, it can affect changes of transplant being a success.
Researchers from Boston Children’s Hospital (Harvard Medical School) examined whether maternal relaxation exercises impact fetal behavior and uterine activity, while also investigating the underlying physiological and endocrine mechanisms for the transfer of relaxation from mother to fetus.
The behavior of 33 fetuses was analyzed during laboratory relaxation/quiet rest and controlled for baseline fetal behavior. Fetal heart rate variation, fetal heart rate acceleration, and body movements and uterine activity were studied as well as maternal heart rate, blood pressure, cortisol, and norepinephrine levels.
Two interventions, progressive muscle relaxation and guided imagery, showed changes in fetal behavior. Women in the progressive muscle relaxation group had significantly more uterine activity than women in the guided imagery group and than the women controls. The study concluded that the fetus might participate in maternal relaxation and suggests that guided imagery is superior to progressive muscle relaxation. Citation: Fink NS, Urech C, Isabel F, et al. Fetal response to abbreviated relaxation techniques. A randomized controlled study. Early Human Development. 2010 Dec 23.
Other studies for pregnancy:
- Almeida NA, de Sousa JT, Bachion MM, Silveira Nde A. The use of respiration and relaxation techniques for pain and anxiety relief in the parturition process. [Article in Portuguese] Ret Lat Am Enfermagem. 2005 Jan-Feb;13(1):52-8. Epub 2005 Mar 3.
- Bastani F, Hidarnia A, Kazemnejad A, Vafaei M, Kashanian M. A randomized controlled trial of the effects of applied relaxation training on reducing anxiety and perceived stress in pregnant women. J Midwifery Womens Health. 2005 Jul-Aug;50(4):e36-40.
- Bastani F, Hidarnia A, Montgomery KS, et al. Does relaxation education in anxious primigravid Iranian women influence adverse pregnancy outcomes: a randomized controlled trial. J Perinat Neonatal Nurs. 2006 Apr-Jun;20(2):138-46.
- Teixeira J, Martin D, Prendiville O, Glover. The effects of acute relaxation on indices of anxiety during pregnancy. J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol. 2005 Dec;26(4):271-6.
