Practicing yoga during pregnancy helps improve birth weight and reduce prematurity and overall complications. Researchers from the Vivekananda Yoga Research Foundation in Bangalore, studied 169 pregnant women trained in the integrated approach to yoga and 166 controls who received routine prenatal care. The yoga training included various loosening exercises, postures ("asanas"), relaxation, deep breathing exercises ("pranayamas"), and meditation, which was practiced for an hour daily. Fourteen percent of deliveries were premature in the yoga group compared with 29 percent in the controls. Rates of pregnancy-related high blood pressure were also lower in the yoga group. The exact role of yoga is unclear at present. The possible mechanisms whereby yoga improves pregnancy outcomes include increased blood flow to the placenta, decreased transfer of maternal stress hormones, and decreased premature release of hormones that trigger the onset of labour.
Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine,
May 2005