The effects of mindfulness-based yoga during pregnancy on maternal psychological and physical distress.
Amy E Beddoe, Chin-Po Paul Yang, Holly Powell Kennedy, Sandra J Weiss, Kathryn A Lee
Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing 2009 DOI: 10.1111/j.1552-6909.2009.01023.x (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Single-group pre-post intervention study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 16 |
| Population | Healthy pregnant nulliparous women with singleton pregnancies between 12 and 32 weeks gestation |
| Intervention | Mindful yoga |
| Duration | 7-week intervention |
| Measures | State and trait anxiety, perceived stress, pain, morning salivary cortisol, participant evaluation |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | Second-trimester women reported significant reductions in physical pain from baseline to postintervention, whereas third-trimester women's pain increased. Third-trimester women showed greater reductions in perceived stress and trait anxiety, suggesting yoga's potential efficacy, particularly if started early. |
Abstract
To examine the feasibility and level of acceptability of a mindful yoga intervention provided during pregnancy and to gather preliminary data on the efficacy of the intervention in reducing distress. Baseline and post-treatment measures examined state and trait anxiety, perceived stress, pain, and morning salivary cortisol in a single treatment group. Postintervention data also included participant evaluation of the intervention. The 7 weeks mindfulness-based yoga group intervention combined elements of Iyengar yoga and mindfulness-based stress reduction. Sixteen healthy pregnant nulliparous women with singleton pregnancies between 12 and 32 weeks gestation at the time of enrollment. Outcomes were evaluated from pre- to postintervention and between second and third trimesters with repeated measures analysis of variance and post hoc nonparametric tests. Women practicing mindful yoga in their second trimester reported significant reductions in physical pain from baseline to postintervention compared with women in the third trimester whose pain increased. Women in their third trimester showed greater reductions in perceived stress and trait anxiety. Preliminary evidence supports yoga's potential efficacy in these areas, particularly if started early in the pregnancy.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 19
- Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Physical Conditions: A Narrative Review Evaluating Levels of Evidence ISRN Psychiatry November 14, 2012
- The feasibility and acceptability of Project POWER: a mindfulness-infused, cognitive-behavioral group intervention to address mental and sexual health needs of young pregnant women in Liberia BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth March 20, 2023
- Research Findings Using Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Chronic Pain Pain Studies and Treatment 2015
- Wellness - Homeostasis through Yoga Journal of Yoga and Physiotherapy May 6, 2022
- Yoga in the NICU for parents (YIN): A pilot study on reducing stress in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. American journal of perinatology June 6, 2025
and 14 more in the library
Cites 7
- A Randomized, Wait-List Controlled Clinical Trial: The Effect of a Mindfulness Meditation-Based Stress Reduction Program on Mood and Symptoms of Stress in Cancer Outpatients Psychosomatic Medicine September 1, 2000
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Psychosomatic Medicine July 1, 2003
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Teaching and Learning in Medicine April 1, 2003
- The role of mindfulness in a contextual cognitive-behavioral analysis of chronic pain-related suffering and disability. Pain September 2007
- A pilot randomized control trial investigating the effect of mindfulness practice on pain tolerance, psychological well-being, and physiological activity. Journal of Psychosomatic Research March 2007
and 2 more in the library