The Efficacy of Yoga Practice during Pregnancy on Postnatal Depression and Quality of Life

Abstract

Background: A high prevalence of depression and reduced quality of life is reported in women during the postpartum phase. To achieve postpartum health benefits yoga intervention has been reported with positive outcomes.
Aim: To study the effect of yoga practice during pregnancy on postnatal
depression and quality of life.
Methodology: Cross-sectional conducted on (N = 68) postnatal women, divided into yoga (n = 37) and control (n = 31), age range (20 – 35) and mean age (29.66 ± 3.57) in years. Women with a history of labour complications and psychiatric or medical illness were excluded. The yoga intervention was conducted for one hour, thrice a week for four months
and the control group followed the daily routine walk for one hour. Quality of life and depression were assessed after the 10th week of the postnatal period and the Mann-Whitney test was used to assess the differences between groups.
Result: The domains of quality of life were significantly different from pre to post in the yoga group compared to the control group, physical (p < 0.001), psychological (p < 0.003), and environmental health (p <0.016), and social relationship (p < 0.001). Postnatal depression as measured by EPDS was significantly less in the yoga group than in the control group (p < 0.001) and the number of participants with clinical depression in the yoga group was less (27%) as compared to the control group (48%).
Conclusion: Yoga practice helps in reducing postnatal depression and improving the quality of life in the postnatal period.

How to cite this article:
Maharana S, Manjula G. The Efficacy of Yoga Practice during Pregnancy on Postnatal Depression and Quality of Life. Ind J Holist Nurs. 2022;13(2):8-15.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2348.2133.202207