The Effectiveness of Antenatal Yoga Exercises in Reducing the Anxiety Levels of Primiparous Mothers Before Delivery at the Setia Janji Community Health Center

Herviza Wulandary Pane, Sri Ilawati, Sri Ilawati, Serli Bahri, Serli Bahri

Abstract


Anxiety in primiparous women approaching childbirth may negatively affect labor outcomes and maternal–fetal well-being. Antenatal yoga is a safe non-pharmacological intervention that may improve maternal psychological health. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of antenatal yoga in reducing anxiety among third-trimester primiparous women at the Setia Janji Community Health Center. A quasi-experimental study with a pretest–posttest control group design was conducted involving 60 third-trimester primiparous women selected using purposive sampling. Participants were assigned to an intervention group (n = 30), which received a structured antenatal yoga program for four weeks (eight sessions), and a control group (n = 30), which received routine antenatal care. Anxiety was assessed using the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS). Data were analyzed using the Shapiro–Wilk test, paired t-test, independent t-test, and non-parametric alternatives, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant. The intervention group showed a significant reduction in mean anxiety scores from 24.6 ± 4.1 to 15.2 ± 3.5 (mean difference = −9.4; p < 0.001), whereas the control group showed no significant change (23.9 ± 4.3 vs. 22.8 ± 4.0; p = 0.082). Post-intervention anxiety was significantly lower in the intervention group than in the control group (mean difference = −7.6; 95% CI: −9.5 to −5.7; p < 0.001; Cohen's d = 2.02). Antenatal yoga is an effective complementary intervention for reducing anxiety in third-trimester primiparous women and can be integrated into routine antenatal care services, especially in preparing for the birth process in a calmer and more adaptive manner.

 

Keywords: Antenatal yoga, Anxiety, Primiparous women , pregnancy, maternal health

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.30829/contagion.v8i3.29453

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