1 2088 124 THE EFFECT OF PRACTICING YOGA DURING PREGNANCY ON LABOR STAGES LENGTH, ANXIETY AND PAIN: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. 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. 2020 2 2525 69 YOGA DURING PREGNANCY: THE EFFECTS ON LABOR PAIN AND DELIVERY OUTCOMES (A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL). OBJECTIVE: TO INVESTIGATE THE EFFECTS OF AN ANTENATAL YOGA PROGRAM ON PERCEIVED MATERNAL LABOR PAIN AND DELIVERY OUTCOMES. MATERIAL & METHODS: THIS RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIAL WAS CONDUCTED WITH SIXTY PRIMIPAROUS WOMEN, AGED 18-35 YEARS OLD, WHO WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO EITHER AN ANTENATAL YOGA PROGRAM OR CONTROL GROUPS. LABOR PAIN AND DISCOMFORT LEVEL OF THE PARTICIPANTS WERE MEASURED USING A VISUAL ANALOGUE SCALE AT CERVICAL DILATATION OF 3-4 C AND AT 2 AND 4 H AFTER THE INITIAL MEASUREMENT. DEMOGRAPHIC AND OBSTETRICAL INFORMATION WERE COLLECTED. THE ANTENATAL YOGA PROGRAM CONSISTED OF A 1-H SUPERVISED YOGA CLASS, THREE TIMES A WEEKLY, STARTING AT 26 WEEKS GESTATION. . RESULTS: PARTICIPANTS IN CONTROL GROUP REPORTED HIGHER PAIN INTENSITY COMPARED TO EXPERIMENTAL GROUP AT 3-4 CM OF DILATATION (P = 0.01) AND AT 2 H AFTER THE FIRST AND THE SECOND MEASUREMENTS (P = 0.000). MOTHERS IN THE ANTENATAL INTERVENTION GROUP THAT COMPLETED THE YOGA CLASS REQUIRED A DECREASED FREQUENCY OF LABOR INDUCTION IN COMPARISON WITH CONTROL GROUP (P = 0.008). IN ADDITION, MODE OF DELIVERY OF THE INTERVENTION GROUP RESULTED IN A LOWER PERCENTAGE OF CESAREAN SECTION THAN CONTROL GROUP (P = 0.002). LASTLY, THE INTERVENTION GROUP EXPERIENCED A SHORTER DURATION OF THE SECOND AND THIRD STAGES OF LABOR. INTERVAL LEVEL DATA WAS ANALYZED BY USING AN INDEPENDENT T-TEST AND CHI-SQUARE. CONCLUSION: YOGA DURING PREGNANCY MAY CONTRIBUTE TO A REDUCTION PAIN OF LABOR AND IMPROVED ADEQUACY OF CHILDBIRTH. 2017 3 1045 34 EFFECTS OF YOGA INTERVENTIONS PRACTISED IN HEATED AND THERMONEUTRAL CONDITIONS ON ENDOTHELIUM-DEPENDENT VASODILATATION: THE BIKRAM YOGA HEART STUDY. NEW FINDINGS: WHAT IS THE CENTRAL QUESTION OF THIS STUDY? DOES THE HEATED PRACTICE ENVIRONMENT ENHANCE THE EFFECTS OF BIKRAM YOGA ON ENDOTHELIUM-DEPENDENT VASODILATATION IN HEALTHY, MIDDLE-AGED ADULTS? WHAT IS THE MAIN FINDING AND ITS IMPORTANCE? THE PRIMARY FINDING FROM THIS INVESTIGATION IS THAT THE HATHA YOGA POSTURES IN THE BIKRAM YOGA SERIES PRODUCE SIMILAR ENHANCEMENTS IN ENDOTHELIUM-DEPENDENT VASODILATATION IN HEALTHY, MIDDLE-AGED ADULTS REGARDLESS OF ENVIRONMENTAL TEMPERATURE. THESE FINDINGS HIGHLIGHT THE EFFICACY OF YOGA POSTURES IN PRODUCING IMPROVEMENTS IN VASCULAR HEALTH AND DOWNPLAY THE NECESSITY OF THE HEATED PRACTICE ENVIRONMENT IN INDUCING VASCULAR ADAPTATIONS. ABSTRACT: WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY DOCUMENTED IMPROVEMENTS IN ENDOTHELIUM-DEPENDENT VASODILATATION WITH A BIKRAM (HOT) YOGA INTERVENTION IN MIDDLE-AGED ADULTS. AT PRESENT, THE EFFECT OF ENVIRONMENTAL TEMPERATURE IN HOT YOGA ON ENDOTHELIAL FUNCTION IS UNKNOWN. THE PURPOSE OF THIS INVESTIGATION WAS TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTS OF BIKRAM YOGA INTERVENTIONS PERFORMED IN HEATED OR THERMONEUTRAL CONDITIONS ON ENDOTHELIUM-DEPENDENT VASODILATATION. FIFTY-TWO SEDENTARY BUT APPARENTLY HEALTHY ADULTS AGED 40-60 YEARS WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO ONE OF THREE GROUPS: BIKRAM YOGA PRACTISED AT 40.5 DEGREES C (N = 19), BIKRAM YOGA PRACTISED AT 23 DEGREES C (N = 14) OR SEDENTARY TIME CONTROL (N = 19). THE YOGA INTERVENTIONS CONSISTED OF 90 MIN BIKRAM YOGA CLASSES THREE TIMES A WEEK FOR 12 WEEKS. ENDOTHELIUM-DEPENDENT VASODILATATION WAS MEASURED NON-INVASIVELY USING BRACHIAL ARTERY FLOW-MEDIATED DILATATION (FMD). BODY FAT PERCENTAGE DETERMINED VIA DUAL-ENERGY X-RAY ABSORPTIOMETRY WAS SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER IN THE HOT YOGA GROUP AFTER THE INTERVENTION THAN IN THE THERMONEUTRAL YOGA AND CONTROL CONDITIONS. BRACHIAL ARTERY FMD INCREASED (P < 0.05) IN THE THERMONEUTRAL YOGA GROUP AND TENDED TO INCREASE IN THE HOT YOGA GROUP (P = 0.056). NO CHANGES OCCURRED IN THE CONTROL GROUP. THERE WERE NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN FMD CHANGE SCORES BETWEEN GROUPS. WE CONCLUDE THAT BIKRAM YOGA PRACTISED IN THERMONEUTRAL CONDITIONS IMPROVED ENDOTHELIUM-DEPENDENT VASODILATATION IN HEALTHY, MIDDLE-AGED ADULTS. THESE NEW FINDINGS HIGHLIGHT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF HATHA YOGA POSTURES ALONE, IN THE ABSENCE OF A HEATED PRACTICE ENVIRONMENT, IN IMPROVING VASCULAR HEALTH AND ARE OF CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE GIVEN THE INCREASED PROPENSITY FOR HEAT INTOLERANCE IN AGEING ADULTS. 2018 4 993 15 EFFECTS OF HEATED AND THERMONEUTRAL YOGA INTERVENTIONS ON ARTERIAL STIFFNESS IN MIDDLE-AGED ADULTS. THE STUDY INVESTIGATED THE EFFICACY OF 12 WEEKS OF HEATED AND THERMONEUTRAL BIKRAM YOGA IN REDUCING ARTERIAL STIFFNESS IN MIDDLE-AGED ADULTS. FIFTY-FOUR SEDENTARY ADULTS (AGES 40-60 YEARS) COMPLETED 12 WEEKS OF YOGA AT 40.5 DEGREES C (N = 21), YOGA AT 23 DEGREES C (N = 14) OR TIME CONTROL (N = 19). BRACHIAL-ANKLE PULSE WAVE VELOCITY (PWV) WAS NOT SIGNIFICANTLY ALTERED BY HOT OR THERMONEUTRAL YOGA INTERVENTIONS. 2018 5 2524 41 YOGA DURING PREGNANCY: EFFECTS ON MATERNAL COMFORT, LABOR PAIN AND BIRTH OUTCOMES. THIS STUDY EXAMINED THE EFFECTS OF A YOGA PROGRAM DURING PREGNANCY, ON MATERNAL COMFORT, LABOR PAIN, AND BIRTH OUTCOMES. A RANDOMIZED TRIAL WAS CONDUCTED USING 74-PRIMIGRAVID THAI WOMEN WHO WERE EQUALLY DIVIDED INTO TWO GROUPS (EXPERIMENTAL AND CONTROL). THE YOGA PROGRAM INVOLVED SIX, 1-H SESSIONS AT PRESCRIBED WEEKS OF GESTATION. A VARIETY OF INSTRUMENTS WERE USED TO ASSESS MATERNAL COMFORT, LABOR PAIN AND BIRTH OUTCOMES. THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP WAS FOUND TO HAVE HIGHER LEVELS OF MATERNAL COMFORT DURING LABOR AND 2H POST-LABOR, AND EXPERIENCED LESS SUBJECT EVALUATED LABOR PAIN THAN THE CONTROL GROUP. IN EACH GROUP, PAIN INCREASED AND MATERNAL COMFORT DECREASED AS LABOR PROGRESSED. NO DIFFERENCES WERE FOUND, BETWEEN THE GROUPS, REGARDING PETHIDINE USAGE, LABOR AUGMENTATION OR NEWBORN APGAR SCORES AT 1 AND 5 MIN. THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP WAS FOUND TO HAVE A SHORTER DURATION OF THE FIRST STAGE OF LABOR, AS WELL AS THE TOTAL TIME OF LABOR. 2008 6 1298 27 HATHA YOGA AND VASCULAR FUNCTION: RESULTS FROM CROSS-SECTIONAL AND INTERVENTIONAL STUDIES. THE AIM OF THIS STUDY WAS TO DETERMINE THE EFFECT OF HATHA YOGA ON ARTERIAL ELASTICITY AND ENDOTHELIAL FUNCTION. FIRST, A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY WAS PERFORMED TO DETERMINE WHETHER YOGA PRACTITIONERS WOULD DEMONSTRATE GREATER ARTERIAL COMPLIANCE AND ENDOTHELIUM-DEPENDENT VASODILATION THAN THEIR SEDENTARY PEERS. SECOND, AN INTERVENTION STUDY INVOLVING 13 SEDENTARY MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER ADULTS (51 +/- 7 YEARS) WAS PERFORMED TO DETERMINE WHETHER 12 WEEKS OF HATHA YOGA WOULD ELICIT INCREASES IN ARTERIAL COMPLIANCE AND ENDOTHELIAL FUNCTION. IN THE CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY INVOLVING A TOTAL OF 34 SUBJECTS, THERE WERE NO GROUP DIFFERENCES IN BODY FATNESS, BLOOD LIPID AND LIPOPROTEIN CONCENTRATIONS, CAROTID ARTERY COMPLIANCE OR BRACHIAL ARTERY FLOW-MEDIATED DILATION (FMD). HEMOGLOBIN A1C WAS LOWER IN YOGA PRACTITIONERS THAN IN SEDENTARY ADULTS (P < 0.05). TOTAL CHOLESTEROL AND HEMOGLOBIN A1C DECREASED AFTER THE INTERVENTION (P < 0.05) WHILE CAROTID ARTERY COMPLIANCE AND BRACHIAL ARTERY FMD DID NOT CHANGE. THE RESULTS OF BOTH CROSS-SECTIONAL AND INTERVENTIONAL STUDIES INDICATE THAT REGULAR PRACTICE OF HATHA YOGA IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH IMPROVEMENTS IN VASCULAR FUNCTIONS. 2013 7 1797 52 PRENATAL YOGA: EFFECTS ON ALLEVIATION OF LABOR PAIN AND BIRTH OUTCOMES. BACKGROUND: THIS STUDY WAS CONDUCTED TO TEST THE HYPOTHESIS THAT PRENATAL YOGIC EXERCISES ARE EFFECTIVE IN ALLEVIATING LABOR PAIN AND IMPROVING BIRTH OUTCOMES, BY COMPARING PREGNANT WOMEN UNDERTAKING YOGA WITH A CONTROL GROUP. TRIAL DESIGN: SINGLE BLINDED, PARALLEL RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIAL. METHODS: TWO HUNDRED PRIMIGRAVID WOMEN OF 30 WEEKS OF GESTATION ONWARD WHO MET THE INCLUSION CRITERIA (PRIMIGRAVIDA, 20-35 YEARS OF AGE, GESTATIONAL AGE OF 30 WEEKS, NO PRIOR EXPERIENCE OF YOGA) WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO STUDY (N = 100) AND CONTROL GROUPS (N = 100) BY USING THE MINIMIZED RANDOMIZATION PROGRAM VERSION 2.01. THE STUDY GROUP RECEIVED THE INTERVENTION IN THE FORM OF INTEGRATED YOGA CONSISTING OF A SERIES OF 30-MIN PRACTICE SESSIONS AT THE 30TH, 32ND, 34TH, 36TH, 37TH, 38TH, AND 39TH WEEKS OF GESTATIONAL AGE. THE MATCHED CONTROL GROUP DID NOT PERFORM YOGA. THE PATIENTS WERE FOLLOWED TILL DELIVERY FOR MATERNAL COMFORT, ALLEVIATION OF LABOR PAIN, AND BIRTH OUTCOME. ALLEVIATION OF LABOR PAIN WAS ASSESSED BY USING NUMERICAL PAIN INTENSITY SCALE (NPIS), PAIN BEHAVIORAL OBSERVATIONAL SCALE (PBOS), AND MATERNAL DELIVERY COMFORT QUESTIONNAIRE. ONLY THE ASSESSORS WERE BLINDED. RESULTS: TWO HUNDRED PATIENTS WERE RANDOMIZED INTO 100 EACH IN CASE AND CONTROL GROUPS. FINAL ANALYSIS WAS DONE ON 75 PATIENTS IN EACH GROUP AFTER EXCLUSION DUE TO DEVELOPMENT OF COMPLICATIONS, LOSS TO FOLLOW-UP. THE REQUIREMENT OF INDUCTION OF LABOR AND ANALGESICS WAS SIGNIFICANTLY LESS IN THE STUDY GROUP (P < 0.044, P < 0.045). THERE WAS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE NUMBER OF NORMAL VAGINAL DELIVERIES (P < 0.037) AND LESS CAESAREAN SECTIONS (P < 0.048), SHORTER FIRST STAGE OF LABOR (P < 0.0003) IN THE STUDY GROUP PRACTICING YOGA. THE TOLERANCE OF PAIN WAS BETTER IN THE STUDY GROUP AS SHOWN BY NPIS (P < 0.001) AND PBOS SCORES (P < 0.0001). POSTPARTUM, THE MATERNAL COMFORT QUESTIONNAIRE SCORE SHOWED HIGHER COMFORT IN THE STUDY GROUP (P < 0.032). THE NUMBER OF LOW BIRTH WEIGHT BABIES WAS ALSO SIGNIFICANTLY LESS IN THE STUDY GROUP (P < 0.042). THERE WERE NO ADVERSE EFFECTS ATTRIBUTED TO YOGA. CONCLUSION: THE STUDY HAS HIGHLIGHTED THAT YOGA IS A NONINVASIVE, EASY TO LEARN MIND-BODY MEDICINE AND COMPLEMENTARY HEALTH PRACTICE, EFFECTIVE IN ALLEVIATION OF LABOR PAIN AND POSSIBLY IMPROVING BIRTH OUTCOME. 2018 8 2076 26 THE EFFECT OF BIKRAM YOGA ON ENDOTHELIAL FUNCTION IN YOUNG AND MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER ADULTS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS INVESTIGATION WAS TO DETERMINE IF BIKRAM YOGA, A STYLE OF HEATED HATHA YOGA, WOULD IMPROVE ENDOTHELIAL FUNCTION IN YOUNG AND MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER, HEALTHY ADULTS. THIS TRIAL WAS PERFORMED IN 36 YOUNG (N = 17) AND MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER ADULTS (N = 19) WHO COMPLETED 3 WEEKLY BIKRAM YOGA CLASSES FOR 8 WEEKS. HEIGHT, BODY WEIGHT AND BODY COMPOSITION WERE DETERMINED AND ENDOTHELIAL FUNCTION WAS MEASURED NONINVASIVELY USING BRACHIAL ARTERY FLOW-MEDIATED DILATION (FMD) BEFORE AND AFTER THE INTERVENTION. NO CHANGES IN BODY WEIGHT, BMI OR BODY FAT PERCENTAGE OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF THE INTERVENTION IN EITHER GROUP. BRACHIAL ARTERY FMD WAS SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED IN MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER (P < 0.05) BUT NOT IN YOUNG ADULTS AS A RESULT OF THE INTERVENTION. THE RESULTS DEMONSTRATE THAT A RELATIVELY SHORT-TERM BIKRAM YOGA PRACTICE MIGHT SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL FUNCTION IN MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER ADULTS. WHILE APPARENTLY HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS IN THIS STUDY EXPERIENCED NO ADVERSE EVENTS, THOSE WITH PREEXISTING CONDITIONS SHOULD TAKE CAUTION AND CONSULT WITH A PHYSICIAN PRIOR TO ENGAGING IN THIS STYLE OF YOGA. 2017 9 166 31 A RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIAL TO STUDY THE EFFECT OF INTEGRATED YOGA ON PREGNANCY OUTCOME IN HYPERTENSIVE DISORDER OF PREGNANCY. OBJECTIVE: THE STUDY AIMED TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTS OF INTEGRATED YOGA ON BLOOD PRESSURE AND PREGNANCY OUTCOME IN HYPERTENSIVE DISORDER OF PREGNANCY. METHODS: SEVENTY-NINE PATIENTS WERE RANDOMIZED INTO STUDY AND CONTROL GROUPS. THE STUDY GROUP RECEIVED THE INTERVENTION IN THE FORM OF INTEGRATED YOGA FOR 4 WEEKS. FINAL ANALYSIS WAS DONE ON 30 PATIENTS EACH OF STUDY AND CONTROL GROUP. RESULTS: THE MEAN SYSTOLIC BP DECLINED BY 7.43 +/- 5.86 MMHG IN THE STUDY GROUP AS COMPARED TO 2.50 +/- 5.21 MM HG IN THE CONTROL GROUP (P VALUE 0.002). THE MEAN DIASTOLIC BP PRIOR TO DELIVERY WAS 88.00 +/- 3.71 MMHG IN THE STUDY GROUP AND 92.20 +/- 5.02 MMHG IN THE CONTROL GROUP (P = 0.001). THE MATERNAL COMFORT IN LABOR WAS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER AND THE DURATION OF LABOR SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED IN THE STUDY GROUP. CONCLUSION: INTEGRATED YOGA EFFECTIVELY REDUCED SYSTOLIC AND DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURES AND INCREASED MATERNAL COMFORT DURING LABOR IN HYPERTENSIVE DISORDER OF PREGNANCY. 2021 10 1092 34 EFFECTS OF YOGA ON UTERO-FETAL-PLACENTAL CIRCULATION IN HIGH-RISK PREGNANCY: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. INTRODUCTION. IMPAIRED PLACENTATION AND INADEQUATE TROPHOBLAST INVASION HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH THE ETIOLOGY OF MANY PREGNANCY COMPLICATIONS AND HAVE BEEN CORRELATED WITH THE FIRST TRIMESTER UTERINE ARTERY RESISTANCE. PREVIOUS STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THE BENEFITS OF YOGA IN IMPROVING PREGNANCY OUTCOMES AND THOSE OF YOGIC VISUALIZATION IN REVITALIZING THE HUMAN TISSUES. METHODS. 59 HIGH-RISK PREGNANT WOMEN WERE RANDOMIZED INTO YOGA (N = 27) AND CONTROL (N = 32) GROUPS. THE YOGA GROUP RECEIVED STANDARD CARE PLUS YOGA SESSIONS (1 HOUR/DAY, 3 TIMES/WEEK), FROM 12TH TO 28TH WEEK OF GESTATION. THE CONTROL GROUP RECEIVED STANDARD CARE PLUS CONVENTIONAL ANTENATAL EXERCISES (WALKING). MEASUREMENTS WERE ASSESSED AT 12TH, 20TH, AND 28TH WEEKS OF GESTATION. RESULTS. RM-ANOVA SHOWED SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER VALUES IN THE YOGA GROUP (28TH WEEK) FOR BIPARIETAL DIAMETER (P = 0.001), HEAD CIRCUMFERENCE (P = 0.002), FEMUR LENGTH (P = 0.005), AND ESTIMATED FETAL WEIGHT (P = 0.019). THE RESISTANCE INDEX IN THE RIGHT UTERINE ARTERY (P = 0.01), UMBILICAL ARTERY (P = 0.011), AND FETAL MIDDLE CEREBRAL ARTERY (P = 0.048) SHOWED SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER IMPEDANCE IN THE YOGA GROUP. CONCLUSION. THE RESULTS OF THIS FIRST RANDOMIZED STUDY OF YOGA IN HIGH-RISK PREGNANCY SUGGEST THAT GUIDED YOGIC PRACTICES AND VISUALIZATION CAN IMPROVE THE INTRAUTERINE FETAL GROWTH AND THE UTERO-FETAL-PLACENTAL CIRCULATION. 2015 11 2113 43 THE EFFECT OF YOGA ON THE DELIVERY AND NEONATAL OUTCOMES IN NULLIPAROUS PREGNANT WOMEN IN IRAN: A CLINICAL TRIAL STUDY. BACKGROUND: YOGA CAN REDUCE THE RISK OF PRETERM DELIVERY, CESAREAN SECTION (CS), AND FETAL DEATH. THE AIM OF THE PRESENT STUDY WAS TO INVESTIGATE THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON PREGNANCY, DELIVERY, AND NEONATAL OUTCOMES. METHODS: THIS WAS A CLINICAL TRIAL STUDY AND USING THE RANDOM SAMPLING WITHOUT REPLACEMENT 70 PREGNANT WOMEN ENTERED HATHA YOGA AND CONTROL GROUPS ACCORDING TO THE COLOR OF THE BALL THEY TOOK FROM A BAG CONTAINING TWO BALLS (BLUE OR RED). THE DATA COLLECTION TOOL WAS A QUESTIONNAIRE PREGNANCY, DELIVERY, AND NEONATAL OUTCOMES. THE INTERVENTION IN THIS STUDY INCLUDED PREGNANCY HATHA YOGA EXERCISES THAT FIRST SESSION OF PREGNANCY YOGA STARTED FROM THE 26TH WEEK AND SAMPLES ATTENDED THE LAST SESSION IN THE 37TH WEEK. THEY EXERCISED YOGA TWICE A WEEK (EACH SESSION LASTING 75 MIN) IN A YOGA SPECIALIZED SPORTS CLUB. THE CONTROL GROUP RECEIVED THE ROUTINE PRENATAL CARE THAT ALL PREGNANT WOMEN RECEIVE. RESULTS: THE RESULTS SHOWED THAT YOGA REDUCED THE INDUCTION OF LABOR, THE EPISIOTOMY RUPTURE, DURATION OF LABOR, ALSO HAD A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON NORMAL BIRTH WEIGHT AND DELIVERY AT THE APPROPRIATE GESTATIONAL AGE. THERE WERE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND APGAR SCORES OF THE INFANTS. CONCLUSION: THE RESULTS OF THE PRESENT STUDY SHOWED THAT YOGA CAN IMPROVE THE OUTCOMES OF PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH. THEY CAN BE USED AS PART OF THE CARE PROTOCOL ALONG WITH CHILDBIRTH PREPARATION CLASSES TO REDUCE THE COMPLICATIONS OF PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH. TRIAL REGISTRATION: IRCT20180623040197N2 (2019-02-11). 2021 12 1135 34 EFFICACY OF YOGA ON PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISCOMFORTS AND DELIVERY OUTCOMES IN CHINESE PRIMIPARAS. BACKGROUD AND PURPOSE: ALMOST EVERY WOMAN EXPERIENCES DISCOMFORTS DURING PREGNANCY. THIS STUDY AIMED TO EVALUATE THE EFFICACY OF YOGA ON PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISCOMFORTS AND DELIVERY OUTCOMES IN CHINESE PRIMIPARAS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL WAS CONDUCTED. PARTICIPANTS IN THE CONTROL GROUP (N = 32) RECEIVED ROUTINE PRENATAL CARE, WHEREAS PARTICIPANTS IN THE INTERVENTION GROUP (N = 32) RECEIVED ROUTINE PRENATAL CARE AND YOGA EXERCISE THREE TIMES A WEEK FOR 12 WEEKS. OUTCOMES EVALUATED INCLUDED PHYSIOLOGICAL DISCOMFORTS, PRENATAL DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, CHILDBIRTH SELF-EFFICACY AND DELIVERY OUTCOMES. INTENTION-TO-TREAT ANALYSIS WAS CONDUCTED. RESULTS: YOGA DECREASED THE SYMPTOMS OF PHYSIOLOGICAL DISCOMFORTS DURING PREGNANCY (F = 6.966, P = 0.010), PROMOTED CHILDBIRTH SELF-EFFICACY (F = 11.900, P = 0.001), INCREASED THE RATE OF VAGINAL DELIVERY (CHI(2) = 4.267, P = 0.039), AND SHORTENED THE LENGTH OF THE FIRST (T = -2.612, P = 0.012), SECOND (Z = -3.313, P = 0.001) AND THIRD STAGES OF LABOR (Z = -3.137, P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: YOGA OFFERS BENEFICIAL EFFECTS ON PHYSIOLOGICAL DISCOMFORTS, CHILDBIRTH SELF-EFFICACY AND DELIVERY OUTCOMES IN CHINESE PRIMIPARAS. 2021 13 688 56 EFFECT OF ANTENATAL EXERCISES, INCLUDING YOGA, ON THE COURSE OF LABOR, DELIVERY AND PREGNANCY: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY. BACKGROUND: DELIVERING A CHILD IS A VERY STRESSFUL EXPERIENCE FOR WOMEN. PREGNANCY AND LABOR ENTAIL COMPLEX EVENTS THAT ARE UNIQUE TO EACH INDIVIDUAL FEMALE. THE MANAGEMENT OF LABOR PAIN IS OFTEN DONE USING ANALGESICS AND ANESTHESIA, WHICH HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO HAVE SOME SIDE EFFECTS. MORE COMPREHENSIVE DATA ARE NEEDED TO PROVIDE CLINICALLY SIGNIFICANT EVIDENCE FOR CLINICIANS TO CONFIDENTLY PRESCRIBE EXERCISES TO PATIENTS. THIS STUDY WAS DONE TO EVALUATE THE EFFECT OF ANTENATAL EXERCISES, INCLUDING YOGA, ON THE COURSE OF LABOR, DELIVERY, AND PREGNANCY OUTCOMES. METHODS: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY WAS CONDUCTED AMONG 200 PRIMIPAROUS SUBJECTS (AGED 20-40). A QUESTIONNAIRE WAS PROVIDED TO THE SUBJECTS TO OBTAIN THEIR DEMOGRAPHIC AND OBSTETRICAL INFORMATION 6 WEEKS AFTER DELIVERY, AND THEIR HOSPITAL RECORDS WERE ALSO ASSESSED FOR FURTHER DETAILS. BASED ON THE NATURE AND DETAILS OBTAINED FOR THE ANTENATAL EXERCISES, SUBJECTS WERE DIVIDED INTO TWO GROUPS: CONTROL AND EXERCISE. OUTCOME MEASURES INCLUDED THE NEED FOR LABOR INDUCTION, SELF-PERCEIVED PAIN AND PERCEIVED EXERTION DURING LABOR, DURATION AND NATURE OF THE DELIVERY, NEWBORN INFANT WEIGHT, MATERNAL WEIGHT GAIN, HISTORY OF BACK PAIN, AND POST-PARTUM RECOVERY. THE TOTAL MATERNAL WEIGHT GAIN (IN KILOGRAMS) WAS CALCULATED FROM WEIGHT AT 6 WEEKS AFTER DELIVERY MINUS THE WEIGHT AT 12-14 WEEKS OF GESTATION. BACK PAIN DURING PREGNANCY AND SELF-PERCEIVED LABOR PAIN WERE MEASURED USING A VISUAL ANALOG SCALE (VAS). THE OVERALL PERCEIVED EXERTION DURING LABOR WAS MEASURED USING AN ADAPTED BORG SCALE FOR PERCEIVED EFFORT. RESULTS: THE SUBJECTS WHO FOLLOWED REGULAR ANTENATAL EXERCISES, INCLUDING YOGA, HAD SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER RATES OF CESAREAN SECTION, LOWER WEIGHT GAIN, HIGHER NEWBORN INFANT WEIGHT, LOWER PAIN AND OVERALL DISCOMFORT DURING LABOR, LOWER BACK PAIN THROUGHOUT PREGNANCY, AND EARLIER POST-PARTUM RECOVERY COMPARED TO THOSE WHO DID NO SPECIFIC EXERCISES OR ONLY WALKED DURING PREGNANCY. CONCLUSIONS: THIS RETROSPECTIVE STUDY SHOWED THAT REGULAR ANTENATAL EXERCISES, INCLUDING YOGA, RESULT IN BETTER OUTCOMES RELATED TO THE COURSE OF LABOR, DELIVERY, AND PREGNANCY. THESE RESULTS NOTABLY INDICATED THAT PREGNANT WOMEN SHOULD BE ACTIVE THROUGHOUT PREGNANCY AND FOLLOW A SUPERVISED EXERCISE PROGRAM THAT INCLUDES YOGA UNLESS CONTRAINDICATED. WE REQUIRE FURTHER LARGE-SCALE PROSPECTIVE STUDIES AND QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL TRIALS TO CONFIRM THE OBSERVED FINDINGS. 2020 14 1136 32 EFFICACY OF YOGA ON PREGNANCY OUTCOME. OBJECTIVE: TO STUDY THE EFFICACY OF YOGA ON PREGNANCY OUTCOMES. DESIGN AND SETTING: THREE HUNDRED THIRTY FIVE (335) WOMEN ATTENDING THE ANTENATAL CLINIC AT GUNASHEELA SURGICAL AND MATERNITY HOSPITAL IN BANGALORE, INDIA, WERE ENROLLED BETWEEN 18 AND 20 WEEKS OF PREGNANCY IN A PROSPECTIVE, MATCHED, OBSERVATIONAL STUDY; 169 WOMEN IN THE YOGA GROUP AND 166 WOMEN IN THE CONTROL GROUP. METHODS: WOMEN WERE MATCHED FOR AGE, PARITY, BODY WEIGHT, AND DOPPLER VELOCIMETRY SCORES OF UMBILICAL AND UTERINE ARTERIES. YOGA PRACTICES, INCLUDING PHYSICAL POSTURES, BREATHING, AND MEDITATION WERE PRACTICED BY THE YOGA GROUP ONE HOUR DAILY, FROM THE DATE OF ENTRY INTO THE STUDY UNTIL DELIVERY. THE CONTROL GROUP WALKED 30 MINUTES TWICE A DAY (STANDARD OBSTETRIC ADVICE) DURING THE STUDY PERIOD. COMPLIANCE IN BOTH GROUPS WAS ENSURED BY FREQUENT TELEPHONE CALLS AND STRICT MAINTENANCE OF AN ACTIVITY DIARY. MAIN OUTCOMES: BIRTH WEIGHT AND GESTATIONAL AGE AT DELIVERY WERE PRIMARY OUTCOMES. RESULTS: THE NUMBER OF BABIES WITH BIRTH WEIGHT > OR = 2500 GRAMS WAS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER (P < 0.01) IN THE YOGA GROUP. PRETERM LABOR WAS SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER (P < 0.0006) IN THE YOGA GROUP. COMPLICATIONS SUCH AS ISOLATED INTRAUTERINE GROWTH RETARDATION (IUGR) (P < 0.003) AND PREGNANCY-INDUCED HYPERTENSION (PIH) WITH ASSOCIATED IUGR (P < 0.025) WERE ALSO SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER IN THE YOGA GROUP. THERE WERE NO SIGNIFICANT ADVERSE EFFECTS NOTED IN THE YOGA GROUP. CONCLUSIONS: AN INTEGRATED APPROACH TO YOGA DURING PREGNANCY IS SAFE. IT IMPROVES BIRTH WEIGHT, DECREASES PRETERM LABOR, AND DECREASES IUGR EITHER IN ISOLATION OR ASSOCIATED WITH PIH, WITH NO INCREASED COMPLICATIONS. 2005 15 963 37 EFFECTS OF A YOGA PROGRAM ON MENSTRUAL CRAMPS AND MENSTRUAL DISTRESS IN UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS WITH PRIMARY DYSMENORRHEA: A SINGLE-BLIND, RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. OBJECTIVES: TO INVESTIGATE THE EFFECTS OF A YOGA PROGRAM ON MENSTRUAL CRAMPS AND MENSTRUAL DISTRESS IN UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS WITH PRIMARY DYSMENORRHEA. DESIGN: SINGLE-BLIND, RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. PARTICIPANTS: 40 RANDOMLY SELECTED UNDERGRADUATE NURSING STUDENTS, WITH 20 EACH ASSIGNED TO AN EXERCISE OR A CONTROL GROUP. INTERVENTION: THE PARTICIPANTS ENGAGED IN A YOGA PROGRAM FOR 60 MINUTES ONCE A WEEK FOR 12 WEEKS. THE PROGRAM CONSISTED OF PHYSICAL EXERCISE COMBINED WITH RELAXATION AND MEDITATION. OUTCOME MEASURES: MENSTRUAL CRAMPS AND MENSTRUAL DISTRESS LEVELS WERE MEASURED BY USING THE VISUAL ANALOGUE SCALE FOR PAIN AND THE MENSTRUAL DISTRESS QUESTIONNAIRE, RESPECTIVELY. DATA WERE ANALYZED BY USING THE KOLMOGOROV-SMIRNOV AND SHAPIRO-WILK NORMALITY TESTS, T-TEST, CHI-SQUARE TEST, LOGISTIC REGRESSION ANALYSIS, AND MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE (SPSS PROGRAM). RESULTS: MENSTRUAL PAIN INTENSITY (GROUP DIFFERENCE, -0.94; 95% CONFIDENCE INTERVAL [CI], -1.47 TO -0.42; P = 0.001) AND MENSTRUAL DISTRESS (GROUP DIFFERENCE, -1.13; 95% CI, -1.43 TO -0.82; P < 0.0001) SCORES DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP COMPARED WITH THE CONTROL GROUP. CONCLUSIONS: THESE FINDINGS INDICATE THAT YOGA INTERVENTIONS MAY REDUCE MENSTRUAL CRAMPS AND MENSTRUAL DISTRESS IN FEMALE UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS WITH PRIMARY DYSMENORRHEA. 2016 16 2897 31 [EFFECTS OF A YOGA-FOCUSED PRENATAL PROGRAM ON STRESS, ANXIETY, SELF CONFIDENCE AND LABOR PAIN IN PREGNANT WOMEN WITH IN VITRO FERTILIZATION TREATMENT]. PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO IDENTIFY THE EFFECTS OF A YOGA-FOCUSED PRENATAL PROGRAM ON THE STRESS, ANXIETY, SELF CONFIDENCE AND LABOR PAIN OF PREGNANT WOMEN WHO HAD IN VITRO FERTILIZATION (IVF) TREATMENT. METHODS: A QUASI EXPERIMENTAL STUDY WITH A NON-EQUIVALENT CONTROL GROUP PRETEST-POSTTEST DESIGN WAS USED. THE DATA COLLECTION PERIOD AND MEDITATION PROGRAM WERE BETWEEN JANUARY 9 AND AUGUST 31, 2009. FORTY-SIX WOMEN WHO WERE PREGNANT FOLLOWING IVF, AND WERE BETWEEN 12-20 WEEKS GESTATION, PARTICIPATED IN THE STUDY (23 EXPERIMENTAL GROUP, 23 CONTROL GROUP). DATA WERE ANALYZED USING CHI-SQUARE TEST, MANN-WHITNEY U TEST, ANCOVA, AND CRONBACH'S ALPHA COEFFICIENTS WITH THE SPSS 12.0 FOR WINDOWS PROGRAM. RESULTS: ALTHOUGH THE SAMPLE SIZE WAS LIMITED, WOMEN WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM SHOWED STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN STRESS, ANXIETY, LABOR PAIN, AND LABOR CONFIDENCE FOR WOMEN PREGNANT AFTER IVF. CONCLUSION: THE RESULT INDICATE THAT THIS 12-WEEK YOGA-FOCUSED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM CAN BE UTILIZED FOR WOMEN PREGNANT FOLLOWING IVF TO REDUCE THEIR STRESS, ANXIETY, AND LABOR PAIN, AND TO INCREASE DELIVERY CONFIDENCE. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE YOGA-FOCUSED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM BE OFFERED TO EVERY PREGNANT WOMAN. 2012 17 1134 26 EFFICACY OF YOGA IN PREGNANT WOMEN WITH ABNORMAL DOPPLER STUDY OF UMBILICAL AND UTERINE ARTERIES. TO STUDY THE EFFICACY OF YOGA ON THE OUTCOME OF COMPLICATED PREGNANCY, 121 WOMEN ATTENDING ANTENATAL CLINIC AT GUNASHEELA SURGICAL AND MATERNITY HOSPITAL (GSMH) IN BANGALORE, INDIA, WERE ENROLLED BETWEEN 18-20 WEEKS OF PREGNANCY IN A PROSPECTIVE, MATCHED, OBSERVATIONAL STUDY. SIXTY-EIGHT WOMEN WERE IN THE YOGA GROUP AND 53 WOMEN IN THE CONTROL GROUP. WOMEN WERE MATCHED FOR AGE, GRAVIDA AND DOPPLER VELOCIMETRY SCORES OF UMBILICAL AND UTERINE ARTERIES. YOGA PRACTICES INCLUDING PHYSICAL POSTURES, BREATHING AND MEDITATION WERE PRACTISED BY THE YOGA GROUP, ONE HOUR DAILY, FROM THE DATE OF ENTRY INTO THE STUDY UNTIL DELIVERY. THE CONTROL GROUP WALKED HALF AN HOUR TWICE A DAY DURING THE STUDY PERIOD. COMPLIANCE IN BOTH THE GROUPS WAS ENSURED. IN BABIES THE BIRTH-WEIGHT IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER (P < 0.018) IN THE YOGA GROUP (2.78 +/- 0.52 KG), COMPARED TO THE CONTROL GROUP (2.55 +/- 0.52 KG). OCCURRENCE OF COMPLICATIONS OF PREGNANCY (PREGNANCY-INDUCED HYPERTENSION, INTRAUTERINE GROWTH RETARDATION, PRE-TERM DELIVERY) SHOWS LOWER TRENDS IN YOGA GROUP. 2005 18 2231 32 THE IMPACT OF YOGA ON FEAR OF CHILDBIRTH AND CHILDBIRTH SELF-EFFICACY AMONG THIRD TRIMESTER PREGNANTS. BACKGROUND: THIS STUDY WAS CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE THE EFFECT OF YOGA PRACTICE ON FEAR OF CHILDBIRTH AND CHILDBIRTH SELF-EFFICACY. MATERIALS AND METHODS: THIS STUDY WAS PERFORMED IN A QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL MODEL WITH PRETEST AND POST-TEST CONTROL GROUPS. THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE STUDY WERE WOMEN WHO APPLIED TO A PREGNANCY EDUCATION CLASS AT A HOSPITAL. NINETY WOMEN PARTICIPATED IN THE STUDY. THE DATA USED IN THE STUDY WERE COLLECTED USING THE INDIVIDUAL INFORMATION FORM, THE WIJMA DELIVERY EXPECTATION/EXPERIENCE SCALE (VERSION A), AND THE CHILDBIRTH SELF-EFFICACY SCALE. RESULTS: AFTER PARTICIPATING IN YOGA PRACTICE, THE PREGNANT WOMEN IN THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP EXHIBITED DECREASED FEAR OF CHILDBIRTH AND INCREASED CHILDBIRTH SELF-EFFICACY (P < .05). ON THE OTHER HAND, THE PREGNANT WOMEN IN THE CONTROL GROUP DISPLAYED INCREASED FEAR OF CHILDBIRTH AND DECREASED CHILDBIRTH SELF-EFFICACY (P < .05). CONCLUSION: BASED ON THE RESULTS OF THIS STUDY, YOGA PRACTICE REDUCES FEAR OF CHILDBIRTH AND SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASES CHILDBIRTH SELF-EFFICACY. 2021 19 2169 32 THE EFFECTS OF YOGA IN PREVENTION OF PREGNANCY COMPLICATIONS IN HIGH-RISK PREGNANCIES: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. OBJECTIVE: WHILE PREVIOUS STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THE POTENTIAL EFFECTS OF YOGA IN NORMAL PREGNANCIES, THIS RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL INVESTIGATED THE EFFECTS OF YOGA IN PREVENTION OF PREGNANCY COMPLICATIONS IN HIGH-RISK PREGNANCIES FOR THE FIRST TIME. METHODS: 68 HIGH-RISK PREGNANT WOMEN WERE RECRUITED FROM TWO MATERNITY HOSPITALS IN BENGALURU, INDIA AND WERE RANDOMIZED INTO YOGA AND CONTROL GROUPS. THE YOGA GROUP (N=30) RECEIVED STANDARD CARE PLUS ONE-HOUR YOGA SESSIONS, THREE TIMES A WEEK, FROM THE 12TH TO THE 28TH WEEK OF GESTATION. THE CONTROL GROUP (N=38) RECEIVED STANDARD CARE PLUS CONVENTIONAL ANTENATAL EXERCISES (WALKING) DURING THE SAME PERIOD. RESULTS: SIGNIFICANTLY FEWER PREGNANCY INDUCED HYPERTENSION (PIH), PREECLAMPSIA, GESTATIONAL DIABETES (GDM) AND INTRAUTERINE GROWTH RESTRICTION (IUGR) CASES WERE OBSERVED IN THE YOGA GROUP (P=0.018, 0.042, 0.049, 0.05 RESPECTIVELY). SIGNIFICANTLY FEWER SMALL FOR GESTATIONAL AGE (SGA) BABIES AND NEWBORNS WITH LOW APGAR SCORES (P=0.006) WERE BORN IN THE YOGA GROUP (P=0.033). CONCLUSION: THIS FIRST RANDOMIZED STUDY OF YOGA IN HIGH-RISK PREGNANCY HAS SHOWN THAT YOGA CAN POTENTIALLY BE AN EFFECTIVE THERAPY IN REDUCING HYPERTENSIVE RELATED COMPLICATIONS OF PREGNANCY AND IMPROVING FETAL OUTCOMES. ADDITIONAL DATA IS NEEDED TO CONFIRM THESE RESULTS AND BETTER EXPLAIN THE MECHANISM OF ACTION OF YOGA IN THIS IMPORTANT AREA. 2012 20 1022 57 EFFECTS OF YOGA AND MEDITATION ON THE BIRTH PROCESS. CONTEXT: DURING LABOR, CONSCIOUS MATERNAL EXPULSIVE EFFORTS ARE CRUCIAL, ESPECIALLY IN THE SECOND STAGE. CONTEMPORARILY, MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL'S BEDSIDE OBSERVATIONS INDICATE AN INADEQUACY IN THE MATERNAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE PROCESS OF DELIVERY THAT HAS LED TO INCREASED RATES OF CAESAREAN SECTIONS AND INTERVENTIONAL DELIVERIES. FOR THAT REASON, THE IMPORTANCE OF YOGA, MEDITATION, AND BREATH-AWARENESS PRACTICES INCREASES DURING PREGNANCY AND BIRTH. OBJECTIVE: THE STUDY INTENDED TO EXAMINE THE IMPACT ON THE DELIVERY PROCESS OF THE PRACTICE OF YOGA AND MEDITATION DURING PREGNANCY AND LABOR. DESIGN: THE RESEARCH TEAM DESIGNED A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. SETTING: THE RESEARCH WAS CONDUCTED BETWEEN OCTOBER 2016 AND MAY 2018 AT AN EDUCATIONAL AND RESEARCH HOSPITAL IN ISTANBUL, TURKEY, ON THE ANATOLIAN SIDE OF THE ISTANBUL PROVINCE. PARTICIPANTS: PARTICIPANTS WERE 90 PRIMIPAROUS PREGNANT WOMEN WHO APPLIED TO THE PREGNANCY SCHOOL AT THE HOSPITAL AND WHO MET THE CRITERIA FOR ACCEPTANCE INTO THE STUDY. INTERVENTION: THE PARTICIPANTS WAS RANDOMLY DIVIDED INTO TWO GROUPS, 30 IN AN INTERVENTION GROUP AND 60 IN A CONTROL GROUP. THE INTERVENTION GROUP PERFORMED YOGA AND MEDITATION FOR 60 MINUTES TWO TIMES A WEEK FOR 10 WEEKS. YOGA AND MEDITATION PRACTICES ALSO OCCURRED DURING THE COURSE OF LABOR FOR THE INTERVENTION GROUP. ROUTINE MIDWIFERY CARE WAS GIVEN TO BOTH GROUPS DURING LABOR. OUTCOME MEASURES: THE DATA WERE COLLECTED USING: (1) THE STATE TRAIT ANXIETY INVENTORY (STAI), (2) THE WIJMA DELIVERY EXPECTANCY/EXPERIENCE QUESTIONNAIRE A, (3) THE CHILDBIRTH SELF-EFFICACY SCALE (CBSEI) SHORT FORM, (4) THE WIJMA DELIVERY EXPECTANCY/EXPERIENCE QUESTIONNAIRE VERSION B, AND (5) A VISUAL ANALOGUE SCALE (VAS) FOR PAIN. RESULTS: WHEN THE LABOR DATA WERE EVALUATED, THE INTERVENTION GROUP HAD STATISTICALLY HIGHER VAGINAL DELIVERY RATES, LOWER LABOR INTERVENTION RATES AND EPISIOTOMY OPENING FREQUENCIES, LOWER PAIN MEASUREMENT SCORES AND WIJMA B SCORES, AND HIGHER CBSEI SCORES THAN THE CONTROL GROUP. HOWEVER, THE INTERVENTION GROUP'S STAI SCORES HAD INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY AFTER THE PRACTICE POST INTERVENTION. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA AND MEDITATION ARE EFFECTIVE METHODS FOR REDUCING PAIN AND FEAR PERCEPTION AND INCREASING SELF-EFFICACY AND VAGINAL DELIVERY RATES DURING THE LABOR PROCESS. 2022