Mindfulness App Improves Mental Health in Women Undergoing IVF
Mindfulness and IVF: What a New Study Tells Us About the Power of the Mind
Going through IVF can feel like you’re on a rollercoaster with no safety bar — emotionally draining, physically demanding, and sometimes filled with unexpected turns. But what if something as simple as a mindfulness practice — guided from your phone — could make a meaningful difference?
A recent randomized controlled trial published in BMC Women’s Health explored that very question. Researchers created an app offering mindfulness-based support tailored to women undergoing infertility treatment. Their goal? To see if a daily dose of mindfulness could reduce emotional strain and build resilience during the IVF process.
What Did the Study Investigate?
The study included 34 women preparing for IVF. Half used the app, which provided daily 20-minute audio sessions including breathwork, body scans, and uterus-focused meditations. These mindfulness exercises were timed with key stages of IVF — from hormone injections to embryo transfer.
The other half received standard care with no additional support.
Researchers assessed all participants before and after the 8-week program using four validated scales measuring:
Mindfulness
Self-efficacy (confidence in coping)
Adjustment to infertility
Levels of depression, anxiety, and stress
What Were the Results?
The women who practiced mindfulness using the app showed:
Significantly higher mindfulness levels
Improved emotional adjustment to infertility
Greater self-efficacy
Lower depression and anxiety symptoms
These changes weren’t just statistically significant — they were clinically meaningful, offering real hope for emotional relief during what can be a deeply vulnerable time.
What Made This Study Special?
This was one of the first trials to test a mindfulness mobile app developed just for IVF. The app’s content was customized for each stage of the IVF cycle, helping women stay grounded and connected to their bodies. This is especially important in a process that can often feel cold, clinical, and out of your control.
And there were no reported side effects — just improvements in emotional well-being.
The FertileMind Mobile App Difference
At FertileMind, we’ve taken things even further. Our app is for any woman struggling to conceive - not just for women doing IVF.
Our app combines science-backed mindfulness and hypnosis sessions with:
Check-ins to help you track your emotional state over time — because your emotional and mental health matter as much as your lab results.
Partner support content, acknowledging that infertility affects couples, not just individuals. We know partners often struggle in silence, and our audio sessions and tools are here to support them, too.
Whether you're doing your first IVF cycle or your fifth, FertileMind gives you tools to stay emotionally strong, reconnect with your body, and feel supported — every step of the way.
Takeaway
Mindfulness isn’t just a trendy wellness buzzword. This study shows that targeted, app-based support can truly ease the mental burden of infertility treatment.
If you’re looking for a way to soften the emotional intensity of your fertility journey — for yourself and your partner — FertileMind is here for you.
