Mindfulness and Fertility: Why It Matters More Than Ever

If you’ve ever been told to “just relax” while navigating this path, you already know how unhelpful (putting it mildly) that advice feels…

Like many of the women I meet you might think that mindfulness is a form of relaxation. Relaxation can be one of the many side effects but it’s really about understanding how our mind works (often against us) during challenging times in our lives and learning how to redirect it in ways that reduce stress hormones instead of increasing them.

A powerful new meta-analysis from 2024 reviewed 14 randomized controlled trials involving 1,784 women with infertility, and here’s the big takeaway:

Mindfulness is not just a trend. It is a real, evidence-backed tool for supporting mental health and emotional wellbeing during fertility treatment (also, improved emotion regulation may also impact pregnancy rates both directly and indirectly).

Let’s take a closer look at what this means for you.

The Results That Matter

Mindfulness-based interventions such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) were compared to routine care. The outcomes were not only significant, they were transformative.

Women who practiced mindfulness experienced:

A significant reduction in anxiety and depression levels
Decrease in perceived stress
Improved vitality and mental health
Better physical functioning
Improved sleep quality (reported across multiple studies)

These are not small changes. For women feeling overwhelmed or emotionally exhausted by their fertility journey, this kind of support can be life-changing.

What About Pregnancy Outcomes

While this review focused primarily on psychological outcomes, a few studies also tracked pregnancy-related results. Some reported higher pregnancy rates and lower preterm birth rates among women practicing mindfulness. However, the researchers noted that more studies are needed to determine the full impact of mindfulness on pregnancy outcomes. Indirectly - evidence suggests that the more emotionally regulated women feel during these trying times, the more likely they are to continue their fertility treatments, giving them more opportunities to get that BFP.

No Adverse Events

Three studies noted participant dropouts, mainly due to personal preference or dissatisfaction with the program. No physical or psychological harms were reported.

A Global Picture

This meta-analysis drew from studies in China, Iran, and Brazil, with participants across a variety of fertility experiences, including IVF and PCOS. While most of the studies were rated as moderate in quality, they provide a strong foundation for future research and clinical practice.

What This Means for You

If you are trying to conceive and struggling with the emotional toll, mindfulness may offer meaningful relief. It supports resilience, promotes better sleep, and enhances your ability to manage stress.

At FertileMind, we believe fertility care should address the whole person - not just your cycles. That is why we developed the FertileMind app. Mindfulness is not about pretending everything is fine. It is about learning how to be present with whatever is happening - and building the emotional strength to keep going or the wisdom to stop.

You are already doing so much. Let mindfulness help carry some of the weight for you.

Tracy