Control of Hypertension During Pregnancy through Yoga: A Review

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