Effectiveness of Prenatal Yoga in Reducing Low Back Pain Intensity during the Third Trimester of Pregnancy

Abstract

Low back pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal complaints experienced by pregnant women, particularly during the third trimester, due to biomechanical, postural, and hormonal changes during pregnancy. This condition may interfere with daily activities, sleep quality, and overall maternal comfort. One safe and potentially effective non-pharmacological approach to manage this complaint is prenatal yoga. This study aimed to analyze the effect of prenatal yoga on the intensity of low back pain in third-trimester pregnant women at UPT Puskesmas Mampuak. This study employed a quasi-experimental design using a one-group pretest–posttest approach. The sample consisted of 30 third-trimester pregnant women selected through purposive sampling. The prenatal yoga intervention was delivered in a structured manner, including stretching exercises, breathing techniques, and relaxation adapted to pregnancy conditions. Low back pain intensity was measured before and after the intervention using a standardized pain scale. Data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test. The results showed a reduction in low back pain intensity following the prenatal yoga intervention. The Wilcoxon test demonstrated a statistically significant difference between pain intensity before and after the intervention, with a p-value of 0.000 (p < 0.05). Descriptively, there was a decrease in the proportion of participants experiencing severe pain and an increase in those reporting moderate and mild pain. In conclusion, prenatal yoga has a significant effect on reducing the intensity of low back pain in third-trimester pregnant women. Prenatal yoga can be recommended as a safe, effective, and applicable non-pharmacological intervention to support antenatal care services at the primary healthcare level.