The effect of practicing yoga during pregnancy on labor stages length, anxiety and pain: a randomized controlled trial

Ellahe Mohyadin; Zohreh Ghorashi; Zahra Molamomanaei

doi:10.1515/jcim-2019-0291

Article

The effect of practicing yoga during pregnancy on labor stages length, anxiety and pain: a randomized controlled trial

Ellahe Mohyadin , Zohreh Ghorashi and Zahra Molamomanaei

Published/Copyright: May 19, 2020

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From the journal Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine Volume 18 Issue 2

Abstract

Background

Anxiety and fear of labor pain has led to elevated cesarean section rate in some countries. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of yoga in pregnancy on anxiety, labor pain and length of labor stages.

Methods

This clinical trial study was performed on 84 nulliparous women who were at least 18 years old and were randomly divided into two groups of yoga and control groups. Pregnancy Yoga Program consisting of 6 60-min training sessions was started every 2 weeks from week 26 of pregnancy and continued until 37 weeks of gestation. Anxiety severity at maternal admission to labor was measured by the Spielbergers State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and labor pain was measured by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) at dilatation (4–5 cm) and 2 h after the first measurement. Data were analyzed using Chi-Square and t-test.

Results

Intervention group reported less pain at dilatation (4–5 cm) (p=0.001) and 2 h after the first measurement (p=0.001) than the control group. Stat anxiety was also lower in intervention group than the control group (p=0.003) at the entrance to labor room. Subjects in the control group required more induction compared to intervention group (p=0.003). Women in intervention group experienced shorter duration of the first phase of the labor than the control group (p=0.002). Also, the total duration of two stages of labor was shorter in intervention group than the control group (p=0.003).

Conclusions

Practicing yoga during pregnancy may reduce women’s anxiety during labor; shorten labor stages, and lower labor pain.

Keywords: anxiety; labor pain; labor stage length; pregnancy; yoga

Corresponding author: Zohreh Ghorashi, PhD in Reproductive Health, Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Geriatric Care Research Center, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Parastar Street, Rafsanjan, Iran, Phone: 034 34256961, Fax: 034 34258497, E-mail: zghorashi@yahoo.com

Funding source: Rafsanjan university of medical sciences

Award Identifier / Grant number: 97180

Acknowledgments

At the end, we would like to thank the staffs of the comprehensive health centers and staffs of NikNafs Hospital, and all pregnant mothers who participated in this study. This study was funded by Rafsanjan University of medical sciences, and then we thank this University.

Research funding: This study was funded by Rafsanjan University of medical sciences.
Author contributions: All the authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved submission.
Competing interests: The funding organization(s) played no role in the study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the report for publication.
Employment or leadership: None declared.
Honorarium: None declared.

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Received: 2019-10-06

Accepted: 2020-03-31

Published Online: 2020-05-19

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/jcim-2019-0291

Keywords for this article

anxiety; labor pain; labor stage length; pregnancy; yoga