Abstract
BackgroundYoga can reduce the risk of preterm delivery, cesarean section (CS), and fetal death. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of Yoga on pregnancy, delivery, and neonatal outcomes.MethodsThis was a clinical trial study and using the random sampling without replacement 70 pregnant women entered Hatha Yoga and control groups according to the color of the ball they took from a bag containing two balls (blue or red). The data collection tool was a questionnaire pregnancy, delivery, and neonatal outcomes. The intervention in this study included pregnancy Hatha Yoga exercises that first session of pregnancy Yoga started from the 26th week and samples attended the last session in the 37th week. They exercised Yoga twice a week (each session lasting 75 min) in a Yoga specialized sports club. The control group received the routine prenatal care that all pregnant women receive.ResultsThe results showed that yoga reduced the induction of labor, the episiotomy rupture, duration of labor, also had a significant effect on normal birth weight and delivery at the appropriate gestational age. There were significant differences between the first and second Apgar scores of the infants.ConclusionThe results of the present study showed that Yoga can improve the outcomes of pregnancy and childbirth. They can be used as part of the care protocol along with childbirth preparation classes to reduce the complications of pregnancy and childbirth.Trial registrationIRCT20180623040197N2 (2019-02-11).
Highlights
Yoga can reduce the risk of preterm delivery, cesarean section (CS), and fetal death
There was no significant difference between the demographic characteristics of the pregnant women in the yoga and control groups and both groups were homogeneous (Table 1)
The results showed that yoga exercises had a significant effect on the rate of induction of labor in pregnant women in the yoga group (p = 0.02, χ 2 = 5.41) so that 51.7% of the women in the yoga group and 82.6% of the women in the control group could have natural childbirth using induction of labor
Summary
Yoga can reduce the risk of preterm delivery, cesarean section (CS), and fetal death. The pregnancy stage has a profound effect on the life of every woman and is associated with physical and psychological changes. During this period, attention to the health of the fetus is of particular importance [1, 2]. The maternal mortality rate due to elective Cesarean Section (CS) is 2 to 3 times higher than that of natural delivery [3]. One of the complications of natural childbirth is episiotomy which is much more common in Iran than in other countries [6] Episiotomy has such side effects as delayed wound healing, increased risk of infection, fatigue, insomnia, difficulty in sitting and holding the infant, decreased sexual function, and impaired emotional relationships between the mother and infant [6]. Firuzbakht et al reported the effect of childbirth preparation classes and exercises on reducing the rates of episiotomy and emergency CS [7]
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