Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Prenatal Yoga In Pregnancy, Ashleigh Clingenpeel

Senior Honors Theses

Prenatal yoga has emerged as an advisable, beneficial, and supportive addition to birth preparation. Many studies have linked participation in prenatal yoga with both maternal and infant benefits. Physical benefits for the mother include decreased labor time, decreased labor pain, and improved comfort during pregnancy. Significant emotional and mental effects have also been correlated, such as lowered rates of depression and anxiety, increased self-efficacy in labor, and easier transitions into the postpartum period. Finally, prenatal yoga has demonstrated benefits to the neonate, with a greater number of vaginal deliveries, which are less traumatic for the infant, an increase in gestational …