Mind-Body Techniques in Pregnancy and Postpartum.

Creator(s)

Esteban A. Oyarzabal
Barbara Seuferling, Children's Mercy HospitalFollow
Shaweta Babbar
Shannon Lawton-O'Boyle
Shilpa Babbar, Children's Mercy HospitalFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-1-2021

Identifier

DOI: 10.1097/GRF.0000000000000641

Abstract

Maternal stress can perturb physiology and psychiatric health leading to adverse outcomes. This review investigates the effectiveness of several mind-body therapies-namely biofeedback, progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery, tai chi, and yoga-as interventions in reducing maternal stress and other pregnancy-related conditions. Through randomized trials, these techniques have shown promising benefits for reducing pain, high blood pressure, stress, anxiety, depressive symptoms, labor pain and outcomes, and postpartum mood disturbances. As these interventions are easy to implement, low cost, and safe to perform in pregnancy, they should be considered as alternative, nonpharmaceutical interventions to use during pregnancy and postpartum care.

Journal Title

Clinical obstetrics and gynecology

Volume

64

Issue

3

First Page

683

Last Page

703

PubMed ID

34162789

Recommended Citation

Oyarzabal EA, Seuferling B, Babbar S, Lawton-O'Boyle S, Babbar S. Mind-Body Techniques in Pregnancy and Postpartum. Clin Obstet Gynecol. 2021;64(3):683-703. doi:10.1097/GRF.0000000000000641