Yoga for high-risk pregnancy: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Improvements in technology have increased the chances of survival for the micro-premature infant and the very low birth-weight infant but have significantly increased the financial burden of health care organizations. This economic burden has a significant impact on third-party payers and on society in general. AIM: The study was designed to assess yoga therapy (YT) module on maternal stress level in high risk pregnancy. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: In the present study, sixty-eight pregnant women (38 in the control group with standard antenatal care and 30 in the YT group) with 27.2 (5.2) years of mean age recruited from the outpatient services of medical college and hospital in Bangalore, South India, were participated. The study was a single-blind randomized controlled clinical trial. Perceived stress scale (PSS) was measured during the 12(th), 20(th), and 28(th) weeks of pregnancy. SPSS version 16.0 (Chicago, IL, USA) was used for all data analysis. When the data were found to be normally distributed, the RMANOVA were used to assess the PSS scores between the yoga and control groups. Significant values were set at P < 0.05. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in the PSS level of the YT group with significantly reduced scores at the second follow-up (28(th) week of pregnancy) compared to the control group (P = 0.02). Women who took part in the YT module reported significantly fewer pregnancy discomforts decrease in PSS (P = 0.02) than the control group where the stress level was increased (RMANOVA test using SPSS-16). CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that the YT module can decrease the stress level during high-risk pregnancy complications. Thus, practicing YT during high-risk pregnancy is not only a cost-effective option but also a feasible and safe option. Additional well-designed studies are needed before a strong recommendation can be made.

Effect of the integrated approach of yoga therapy on platelet count and uric acid in pregnancy: A multicenter stratified randomized single-blind study.

BACKGROUND: Yoga improves maternal and fetal outcomes in pregnancy. Platelet Count and Uric acid (Ua) are valuable screening measures in high-risk pregnancy. AIM: To examine the effect of yoga on platelet counts and serum Ua in high-risk pregnancy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This stratified randomized controlled trial, conducted by S-VYASA University at St. John's Medical College Hospital and Gunasheela Maternity Hospital, recruited 68 women with high-risk pregnancy (30 yoga and 38 controls) in the twelfth week of pregnancy. The inclusion criteria were: Bad obstetrics history, twin pregnancies, maternal age < 20 or > 35 years, obesity (BMI > 30), and genetic history of pregnancy complications. Those with normal pregnancy, anemia (< 10 grams%dl), h/o clotting disorders; renal, hepatic or heart disease; seizure disorder; or structural abnormalities in the pelvis, were excluded. The yoga group practiced simple meditative yoga (three days / week for three months). RESULTS: At baseline, all women had normal platelet counts (> 150×10(9)/L) with a decrease as pregnancy advanced. Ua (normal at baseline) increased in both groups. No one developed abnormal thrombocytopenia or hyperuricemia. Healthy reduction in platelet count (twelfth to twentieth week) occurred in a higher (P < 0.001, Chi(2) test) number of women in the yoga group than the control group. A similar trend was found in uric acid. Significantly lesser number of women in the yoga group (n = 3) developed pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) / pre-eclampsia (PE) than those in the control group (n = 12), with absolute risk reduction (ARR) by 21%. CONCLUSION: Antenatal integrated yoga from the twelfth week is safe and effective in promoting a healthy progression of platelets and uric acid in women with high-risk pregnancy, pointing to healthy hemodilution and better physiological adaptation.

The effects of yoga in prevention of pregnancy complications in high-risk pregnancies: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: While previous studies have shown the potential effects of yoga in normal pregnancies, this randomized controlled trial investigated the effects of yoga in prevention of pregnancy complications in high-risk pregnancies for the first time. METHODS: 68 high-risk pregnant women were recruited from two maternity hospitals in Bengaluru, India and were randomized into yoga and control groups. The yoga group (n=30) received standard care plus one-hour yoga sessions, three times a week, from the 12th to the 28th week of gestation. The control group (n=38) received standard care plus conventional antenatal exercises (walking) during the same period. RESULTS: Significantly fewer pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH), preeclampsia, gestational diabetes (GDM) and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) cases were observed in the yoga group (p=0.018, 0.042, 0.049, 0.05 respectively). Significantly fewer Small for Gestational Age (SGA) babies and newborns with low APGAR scores (p=0.006) were born in the yoga group (p=0.033). CONCLUSION: This first randomized study of yoga in high-risk pregnancy has shown that yoga can potentially be an effective therapy in reducing hypertensive related complications of pregnancy and improving fetal outcomes. Additional data is needed to confirm these results and better explain the mechanism of action of yoga in this important area.

The relationship between blood indicators of phosphorus status in cattle.

BACKGROUND: Determining accurate body phosphorus status and requirements is important in ruminants because of environmental concerns of surface water pollution by overzealous phosphorus consumption in developed countries, and extensive regions of phosphorus deficiency in developing ones. Current indicators, such as concentrations of bone, plasma, fecal, and rumen inorganic phosphorus (Pi), fall short of this goal. In addition, plasma Pi (PPi) concentrations may be falsely increased by hemolysis during storage of blood samples. OBJECTIVES: The goals of this study were to: 1) compare whole blood Pi (WBPi), red blood cell Pi (RBCPi), and PPi concentrations in different groups of dairy calves and cows; 2) evaluate relationships among the concentrations of these indicators of phosphorus status; and 3) investigate the possibility of predicting RBCPi and PPi concentrations according to WBPi concentration. METHODS: Heparinized whole blood samples were obtained from 53 suckling calves, 29 weaned calves, 14 heifers, 20 dry pregnant cows, and 19 high-producing lactating dairy cows. Pi concentration was measured in plasma and in lysates of whole blood and packed RBCs using an automated phosphomolybdate method. PCV was determined using the microhematocrit method. Results were analyzed using 1-way ANOVA and regression analysis. RESULTS: Heifers and dry cows had significantly higher RBCPi concentrations, and weaned calves and dry cows had significantly higher WBPi concentrations, compared with other groups. In all groups, WBPi was significantly associated with other variables, including PCV. Regression models for each group were calculated to predict RBCPi and PPi concentrations according to WBPi concentration. CONCLUSION: Results of different blood phosphorus indicators vary according to age and stage of lactation. The models that predict PPi and RBCPi according to WBPi may have some value in estimating total body phosphorus status in cattle.