Sedative effect of Maternity Yoga in pregnant women with pregnancy complication on an autonomic nerve

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24660002
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Lifelong developmental nursing
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: SHIMADA Mieko 大阪大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (40262802)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): SAKAGUCHI Kesami 信州大学, 医学部, 教授 (20215619) ; TAKAGI Kohichiro 東京女子医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (90154749)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: マタニティヨガ / 妊婦 / 自律神経 / 妊娠合併症 / αアミラーゼ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In August 2012, an approval by ethics committee of division of health Sciences. The Recruit of participants was started at obstetric outpatient of pregnant health check and maternity Yoga class in a cooperative hospital from September. By March 2014, approximately 91 pregnant women participants in this study who gave informed consent.
Our study elucidated that by practising yoga, the parasympathetic nerve is activated during the 8th and 10th months of pregnancy, allowing for consolidated sleep during the night and reducing α-amylase levels, thereby reducing stress. Furthermore, the earlier the time of falling asleep, the longer the sleep time; consequently, the parasympathetic nerve is more active. Thus, the more a pregnant woman wakes up during the night, the more active is the sympathetic nerve. Therefore, as a strategy to activate the parasympathetic nerve, in addition to continuously practising yoga, early sleep habits and sufficient sleep during the night are important.

Free Research Field

助産学