The Effect of Yoga on Maternal Anxiety in Women with Excessive Gestational Weight Gain: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Excessive gestational weight gain (EGWG) and anxiety are comorbid conditions that increase the risk of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of yoga on the anxiety of women with EGWG.Materials and methods: This randomized controlled trial was performed on EGWG pregnant women referring to comprehensive health centers in Qom city, Iran, between October 2021 and August 2022. Eighty-eight participants were assigned to the intervention (N = 44) and control (N = 44) groups. The experimental group participated in six sessions of 90-min yoga classes, and the control group only received routine care. Two questionnaires including a demographic information questionnaire and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) questionnaire were used for data collection. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 22.Results: The results of this study showed a statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of trait anxiety (25.84 +/- 3.45 vs. 57.38 +/- 8.07; p < 0.05) and state anxiety (27.93 +/- 3.72 vs. 60.13 +/- 8.13; p < 0.05) after intervention. On the other hand, the trait and state anxiety rates were stable in the experimental group before and after intervention, while they increased to the severe form of anxiety in the control group (effect size = -21.84 +/- 10.66 vs. -19.43 +/- 8.44).Conclusion: The result of this study showed that yoga has a positive effect on the anxiety of pregnant women with EGWG and can be used as a preventive or complementary solution to control the anxiety of these mothers.