A latest study shows that yoga effectively reduces stress levels and risk of anxiety in pregnant women.
For the study, the researchers from Manchester and Newcastle Universities in the United Kingdom examined 59 pregnant women. Their emotional states were recorded through self-reports during the beginning of the study.
The participants were divided into several groups. One of them required the women to attend one yoga session every week. This continued for eight weeks. Another set of women received normal prenatal treatment.
The researchers analysed the emotional levels of the pregnant participants throughout the study. The findings showed that just one session of yoga helped reduce anxiety levels by one-third and stress hormone levels by 14 percent. Similar results were collected for women who attended more than one yoga session.
"There is a growing body of evidence that maternal antenatal anxiety may increase the risk of pre-term delivery and the likelihood of giving birth to a low birth weight child. If we can reduce these risk factors, and perhaps reduce the rate of post-natal mood disorders in mothers and negative health outcomes in their offspring, then that can only be a good thing," lead researcher Dr. James Newham said in a news release. He carried out the research as a PhD student at Tommy's Maternal and Fetal Health Research Center at the University of Manchester, and is now a research associate at Newcastle University.
"Yoga incorporates relaxation and breathing techniques with postures that can be adapted for pregnant women. Many women opt to practice yoga during their pregnancy but this is the first worldwide report on the effects of both single and multiple sessions of antenatal yoga on mood," said Professor John Aplin, one of the senior investigators in Manchester. "The results confirm what many who take part in yoga have suspected for a long time. There is also evidence yoga can reduce the need for pain relief during birth and the likelihood for delivery by emergency caesarean section."
The study, "Effects of Antenatal Yoga on Maternal Anxiety and Depression: A Randomized Controlled Trial," was published in 'Depression and Anxiety.'
