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Efficacy, Feasibility, and Acceptability of Perinatal Yoga on Women's Mental Health and Well-Being: A Systematic Literature Review.

Journal of holistic nursing : official journal of the American Holistic Nurses' Association
March 1, 2016
Karen M Sheffield et al. (2 authors)
Journal ArticleReviewSystematic ReviewHuman Study
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to examine the existing empirical literature on yoga and its effects on women's health and well-being during the perinatal period, particularly for reducing anxiety and depression.

Results Summary

Yoga interventions were generally effective in reducing anxiety and depression in pregnant women, showing promise for improving mental health and well-being for women and infants.

Population

Pregnant women (perinatal population)

Effective Dosage

Not specified

Duration

Not specified

Interactions

None mentioned

Extracted Claims (4)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
pharmacological treatment
decrease
perinatal major depressive disorder
pregnant women
-
has shown effectiveness
#1
complementary and alternative medicine
decrease
perinatal depression and anxiety
women
-
potentially offers alternatives
#2
yoga
decrease
anxiety and depression
pregnant women
-
generally effective in reducing
#3
yoga
increase
mental health and well-being
women and infants
-
shows promise in improving
#4
Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Perinatal major depressive disorder affects 20% of women, while perinatal anxiety affects 10% of women. Although pharmacological treatment has shown effectiveness, many pregnant women are concerned about potential adverse effects on the fetus, maternal-infant bonding, and child development. Approximately 38% of American adults use complementary and alternative medicine, including yoga and other mind-body strategies. Although complementary and alternative medicine has been less studied in the perinatal population, it potentially offers women and their providers alternatives to traditional medication for treatment of perinatal depression and anxiety. Thus, the purpose of this systematic review was to examine existing empirical literature on yoga and its effects on women's health and well-being during the perinatal period. METHOD: Following PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines for systemic literature reviews, literature searches using relevant search terms were performed in four major electronic databases: CINAHL, PubMed, PsycINFO, and EMBASE. Thirteen publications met inclusion criteria. RESULTS: Results indicated that yoga interventions are generally effective in reducing anxiety and depression in pregnant women. DISCUSSION: The use of yoga in the perinatal period shows promise in improving mental health and well-being for women and infants. This review can inform future yoga intervention studies and clinical practice with the perinatal population.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
AnxietyDepressive Disorder, MajorFemaleHumansMeditationMental HealthPerinatal CarePregnancyPregnant PeopleTreatment OutcomeWomen's HealthYoga
Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy80/10
Quality75/10
Citation Metrics
Total Citations29
Citations/Year3.2
Relative Citation Ratio1.84
NIH Percentile71.9%
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.75
Weight Score1.84
Normalized Score0.67
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