Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) groups are challenged by high attrition particularly in early sessions. This leads to disturbances in the composition of the groups and potential dissatisfaction. In order to support patients in their decision about participation and to accommodate the program to psychiatric patients, an adapted version of MBCT was developed with nine instead of 8 weekly units, reduced duration of some exercises, and patients invited to make an active decision about continuing with the program or leaving the group after an introductory phase of the first three sessions. 120 participants joined the program, 35 % decided to leave the program before the advanced stage started, and 50.8 % completed it. In a multiple logistic regression model, neither the degree of depression and mindfulness at onset nor sociodemographic variables could predict if participants would complete the program. The only significant predictor was the number of sessions attended in the introductory phase. In bivariate analyses, having participated in group therapies earlier strongly predicted if a person would complete sessions 1 to 3. The therapist's assessment of the patient's motivation and her/his predictions if the patient would leave the group preterm and if the patient would finalize the program regularly were also related to attrition. The modified version of MBCT has proved to be feasible and useful to stabilize the participants' presence in the later sessions. Particular attention should be paid to patients who miss sessions in the introductory phase and for which the therapist recognizes low motivation or risk of dropping out.

In 28 neonates born by spontaneous delivery to healthy mothers with a normal course of gestation venous umbilical blood was examined to assess the immunoreactive insulin concentration. Moreover, the birth weight of the neonates was recorded, the weight increment of the mother during pregnancy and the body mass index at the end of gestation. By means of a questionnaire and the computer programme Progana the dietary intake of the mothers at the end of pregnancy was assessed and compared with recommended allowances. The assembled data were evaluated statistically by assessment of the correlation coefficient. The investigation revealed that the birth weight of the neonates in the group does not correlate with the immunoreactive insulin concentration in umbilical venous blood. Although the dietary intake of the mothers at the end of pregnancy is not ideal (fat and cholesterol intake predominates over carbohydrate and protein intake), it does not correlate with the birth weight of the neonates nor with the immunoreactive insulin concentration in umbilical venous blood. From these results the conclusion is drawn that neonates with a low birth weight do not have a higher plasma insulin concentration after delivery and that the mother's diet at the end of pregnancy does not influence the birth weight and insulin level in neonates.

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