Effects of yoga on anxiety and depression for high risk mothers on hospital bedrest

and purpose: In recent years, yoga practitioners have joined forces with medical programs to approach patients’ well-being holistically. This study is a randomized controlled trial to assess the effects of a specialized adapted yoga program on anxiety and depression for high-risk expectant mothers on bedrest in a hospital setting. Seventy-nine pregnant subjects on physician ordered hospitalized bedrest were randomized into two groups: receiving biweekly yoga sessions (intervention group) or receiving no yoga (control group). Data collection tool was the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) to assess outcomes after delivery. Yoga, even as little as three sessions, showed significant impact in reducing anxiety and depression high-risk pregnant women on hospitalized bedrest. Perceived anxiety and depression overall scores were lower in the intervention group than in the control group (p < 0.001). Results demonstrated that yoga is an effective intervention to decrease anxiety and depression in high-risk antepartum women on hospitalized bedrest.