Emi Masuda

Kyorin University,
Japan

Abstract Title: Effectiveness of an Online-Based Yoga Program to Improve Back and Pelvic Pain in Pregnant Women A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Biography: I obtained my PhD in Nursing this year at St. Luke’s International University, I worked for 20 years as a midwife in Japanese hospitals and now serve as a faculty member at a nursing university, drawing on this experience. My specialties include maternal health, midwifery education, and evidence-based practice. Through participation in this international conference, I seek new perspectives, to share experiences with nurses and midwives worldwide, build international networks, learn innovative educational and clinical approaches, and enhance education, research, and practice to improve maternal and newborn care globally.

Research Interest: Aim: To examine changes in lower back and pelvic pain among pregnant women following an 8-week online yoga program versus an educational leaflet to estimate the effect size on pain. Methods: A total of 50 pregnant women with low-risk pregnancies (26 30 weeks gestation) experiencing pregnancy-related lower back or pelvic pain were randomly assigned to the yoga program group (intervention, n = 23) or education leaflet-only group (comparison, n = 27). The intervention group participated in online yoga sessions, received educational leaflets, and recorded pain levels, while the comparison group received only the leaflets. Pain severity was assessed using the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), daily life disability using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and depressive symptoms using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at baseline (T1) and at week 8 (T5). Analyses included mean differences between . This study was approved by the . Results: The mean change in NRS for lower back and pelvic pain was greater in the intervention group than in the comparison group ( 0.85; 95% Cl: 2.16, 0.46), with a small effect size (g = 0.39). The mean change in ODI was 0.40 (SD = 8.30) in the intervention group and 2.30 (SD = 8.51) in the comparison group, with a between-group difference of 1.85 (95% CI: 3.29, 6.99), g = 0.22 (95% CI: 0.37, 0.80). The mean change in EPDS was 0.65 (SD = 3.18) in the intervention group and 1.92 (SD = 3.34) in the comparison group, with a between-group difference of 1.27 (95% CI: 0.73, 3.26), g = 0.38 (95% CI: 0.21, 0.97). Conclusions: The effect sizes for changes in lower back and pelvic pain were small in both groups. Future RCTs should include more participants and improve follow-up rates. Keywords: Pregnancy, Low back pain, Pelvic pain, Yoga, Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial