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Handbook of Nutrition and Pregnancy pp 309–319Cite as

Depression in Pregnancy: A Role for Yoga, a Lifestyle Practice to Complement Nutrition

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Abstract

A substantial proportion of pregnant women experience depression, yet barriers can limit access to traditional mental health care during the perinatal period. Research suggests that many pregnant women are interested in pursuing other strategies for improving mood during pregnancy, including alternative treatment modalities. In recent years, researchers have begun to investigate yoga as a potentially affordable, accessible, non-pharmacologic treatment alternative for improving mood prenatally. Thus far, studies focusing on depression in non-pregnant adults suggest that yoga may be effective in lowering depression; however, only a small number of studies have examined the effects of yoga among depressed pregnant women. Survey results conclude that prenatal yoga is popular among pregnant women and viewed as an activity that is helpful in reducing stress and symptoms of depression and anxiety. The number of studies examining the efficacy of prenatal yoga has increased considerably in the past decade. This chapter reviews this growing area of research, including rationale for examining yoga as a potential intervention, and emerging empirical findings that provide some preliminary support for the potential use of yoga as a means of reducing depression symptoms during pregnancy. Limitations to the current body of research and future directions are also discussed.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA

    Cynthia L. Battle

  2. Women & Infants’ Hospital of Rhode Island, Providence, RI, USA

    Cynthia L. Battle

  3. Butler Hospital Psychosocial Research Program, Providence, RI, USA

    Cynthia L. Battle & Anne E. Fritzson

Authors
  1. Cynthia L. Battle
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  2. Anne E. Fritzson
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Cynthia L. Battle .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA

    Carol J. Lammi-Keefe

  2. Department of Rehabilitation, Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA

    Sarah C. Couch

  3. Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA

    John P. Kirwan

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Battle, C.L., Fritzson, A.E. (2018). Depression in Pregnancy: A Role for Yoga, a Lifestyle Practice to Complement Nutrition. In: Lammi-Keefe, C., Couch, S., Kirwan, J. (eds) Handbook of Nutrition and Pregnancy. Nutrition and Health. Humana Press, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-90988-2_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-90988-2_17

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-90986-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-90988-2

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