Prenatal yoga significantly reduced systolic blood pressure (mean reduction 7.43 mmHg vs 2.50 mmHg) and the incidence of gestational hypertension compared to standard care.
Does prenatal yoga reduce blood pressure and improve maternal-fetal outcomes in pregnant women?
Prenatal yoga serves as a low-cost, non-invasive complementary intervention that significantly improves blood pressure control and reduces adverse maternal-fetal outcomes in pregnancy.
Absolute Event Rate: -7.43% vs -2.5%
p-value: p=0.002
Hypertension during pregnancy, including gestational hypertension and preeclampsia, remains aleading cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Pharmacologicalmanagement, though effective, is often limited by fetal safety concerns and adverse maternal effects.Yoga, a traditional mind–body discipline integrating physical postures (asanas), breathing regulation(pranayama), and meditation, has emerged as a promising complementary intervention forcardiovascular regulation. This review synthesizes scientific evidence on the effectiveness of prenatalyoga in controlling blood pressure, improving placental circulation, enhancing autonomic balance, andpromoting favorable maternal–fetal outcomes. Clinical trials demonstrate significant reductions insystolic and diastolic blood pressure, decreased incidence of gestational hypertension, improvedneonatal birth weight, and reduced preterm birth rates among yoga practitioners. The findings suggestthat structured prenatal yoga programs can be safely integrated into antenatal care as a low-cost, noninvasive,and culturally adaptable strategy to reduce pregnancy-related hypertensive complications
Ritesh Kumar (Sun,) conducted a review in Hypertension during pregnancy (Gestational hypertension and preeclampsia). Prenatal yoga vs. Control / standard antenatal care was evaluated on Systolic Blood Pressure reduction (mmHg) (p=0.002). Prenatal yoga significantly reduced systolic blood pressure (mean reduction 7.43 mmHg vs 2.50 mmHg) and the incidence of gestational hypertension compared to standard care.