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Meta-Analysis
. 2022 Mar 25;22(1):250.
doi: 10.1186/s12884-022-04474-9.

The characteristics and effectiveness of pregnancy yoga interventions: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Lisa Corrigan  1 , Patrick Moran  2 , Niamh McGrath  3 , Jessica Eustace-Cook  4 , Deirdre Daly  2
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

The characteristics and effectiveness of pregnancy yoga interventions: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Lisa Corrigan et al. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. .

Abstract

Background: Yoga is a popular mind-body medicine frequently recommended to pregnant women. Gaps remain in our understanding of the core components of effective pregnancy yoga programmes. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the characteristics and effectiveness of pregnancy yoga interventions, incorporating the FITT (frequency, intensity, time/duration and type) principle of exercise prescription.

Methods: Nine electronic databases were searched: MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE, CINAHL, WHOLiS, AMED, ScieLo, ASSIA and Web of Science. Randomised control trials and quasi-experimental studies examining pregnancy yoga interventions were eligible. Covidence was used to screen titles, abstracts, and full-text articles. Outcomes of interest were stress, anxiety, depression, quality of life, labour duration, pain management in labour and mode of birth. The Cochrane Collaboration's Risk of Bias Assessment tool was used to assess methodological quality of studies and GRADE criteria (GRADEpro) evaluated quality of the evidence. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3.

Results: Of 862 citations retrieved, 31 studies met inclusion criteria. Twenty-nine studies with 2217 pregnant women were included for meta-analysis. Pregnancy yoga interventions reduced anxiety (SMD: -0.91; 95% CI: - 1.49 to - 0.33; p = 0.002), depression (SMD: -0.47; 95% CI: - 0.9 to - 0.04, P = 0.03) and perceived stress (SMD: -1.03; 95% CI: - 1.55 to - 0.52; p < 0.001). Yoga interventions also reduced duration of labour (MD = - 117.75; 95% CI - 153.80 to - 81.71, p < 0.001) and, increased odds of normal vaginal birth (OR 2.58; 95% CI 1.46-4.56, p < 0.001) and tolerance for pain. The quality of evidence (GRADE criteria) was low to very low for all outcomes. Twelve or more yoga sessions delivered weekly/bi-weekly had a statistically significant impact on mode of birth, while 12 or more yoga sessions of long duration (> 60 min) had a statistically significant impact on perceived stress.

Conclusion: The evidence highlights positive effects of pregnancy yoga on anxiety, depression, perceived stress, mode of birth and duration of labour.

Systematic review registration: PROSPERO, CRD42019119916. Registered on 11th January 2019.

Keywords: FITT principle; Pregnancy yoga; Systematic review; meta-analysis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
PRISMA flow diagram [19]
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Summary of Risk of Bias and Risk of bias for individual studies
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Meta-analysis primary outcomes
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Meta-analysis secondary outcomes
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Subgroup FITT principle analysis of study outcomes
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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