title: The effects of heart rate variability biofeedback in patients with preterm labour.
abstract: Preterm birth is a highly prevalent phenomenon that was shown to be associated with mental stress during pregnancy (Rich-Edwards and Grizzard in Am J Obstet Gynecol 192(5 Suppl):S30-S35, 2005). We aimed to assess the effects of heart rate variability (HRV)-biofeedback in patients with preterm labour. Therefore, we conducted a controlled randomized parallel group study in 48 female patients aged 19-38 years (median = 29) with preterm labour at gestational week 24th-32nd (median = 29th). In this study, one group (n = 24) attended six sessions of HRV-biofeedback over 2 weeks whereas patients of the other group (n = 24) were assigned to control sessions. In the HRV-biofeedback treated group, perception of chronic stress was decreased 4 weeks after completion of training compared to baseline (p < 0.05) but there was no change in the control group. In the HRV-biofeedback group, preterm birth was seen in 3 patients (13 %) whereas in the control group, preterm delivery occurred in 8 patients (33 %, p = n.s.). There was no difference in birth weight between groups and HRV remained unchanged. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that HRV-biofeedback can reduce chronic stress in patients with preterm labour when administered as an adjunct to routine care. However, it remains unclear whether stress reduction through HRV-biofeedback has a beneficial effect on preterm birth.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Carl Gustav Carus Medical School, Dresden University of Technology, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany, martin.siepmann@uniklinikum-dresden.de.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Siepmann
authors.forename: Una-Dorothea
authors.initials: UD
authors.lastname: Hennig
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Siepmann
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nitzsche
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mück-Weymann
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Petrowski
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Weidner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001676:Biofeedback, Psychology; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011594:Psychometrics; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult