Research, The Effects of Prenatal Yoga on Birth Outcomes: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Importance There are limited data to demonstrate the potential impact of prenatal yoga on birth outcomes such as maternal comfort, labor duration, and infant gestational age and weight. Objective To examine the published evidence on prenatal yoga, identify the gaps in this field of study, and to explore avenues for further research. Design Two electronic databases, CIANHL and PubMed were searched using combinations of the keywords yoga, health, women, pregnant, and prenatal. Studies were included if they evaluated a yogic intervention in a sample of pregnant women. Both controlled and qualitative studies were included due to the limited body of research. A total of eleven studies were included for review. Main Outcomes and Measures The most commonly measured variables were psychosocial outcomes, such as maternal depression, anxiety, and quality of life. However, several studies evaluated physical measurements such as pain, length of labor, infant birth weight, and gestational age. Results All studies found that prenatal yoga provided significant benefits, and no adverse effects were reported. Significant findings from the randomized studies included an increase in infant birth weight, lower incidence of pregnancy complications, shorter duration of labor, and less pain among yoga practitioners. Significant findings from the non-randomized and qualitative studies included decrease in pain, improved quality of sleep, increased maternal confidence, and improved interpersonal relationships among pregnant women who practiced yoga.