Investigating Alpha Power Variations Across Meditative States in Prenatal Women

Abstract

Prenatal women's mental condition found among various women in this modernized world, poses as one of the great public health issues because it significantly impacts maternal and fetal health. Since mental states might be one of the aspects affecting activities in the brain, researchers have proved that alpha frequency has particularly impacted it because this particular stage is linked with relaxation and meditation. This study examines variations within alpha power over three diverse states: resting, meditating, and post-meditation states with prenatal subjects. The average alpha power in each of these states was calculated. The mean alpha power while the subject is at rest was 75.90 $\mu\mathrm{V}^{2}$, significantly greater than alpha power measured during mantra meditation (62.83 $\mu \mathrm{V}^{2})$ and post-meditation session (62.34 $\mu \mathrm{V}^{2})$ • ANOVA was used to determine the differences between these states; the F -statistic obtained was 48.57, and the p-value was highly significant at 5.61e-19. These results strongly suggest a distinction in alpha power levels, indicating that the resting state may be more functionally active in terms of resting activity than the meditative states indicating calmer state of mind. This research contributes toward an understanding of the dynamics of EEG in pregnant women and has implications for interventions regarding maternal mental health.