MATERNAL EFFECTS OF PRENATAL AND POSTNATAL YOGA

Pregnancy is a part of woman's life, a complex condition that causes many physiological and psychological changes in the body of the mother. Pregnancy-specific physiological changes develop, such as increased blood plasma, increased heart rate, calcium withdrawal from bones, changes in hormone levels. In addition to these physiological changes, the process of adaptation to motherhood role and adaptation to this role change may lead to negative emotions such as tension in parents, anxiety and fear. In this period, expectant mothers need to relax physiologically and psychologically. A number of different applications with proven efficacy have been proposed in the prenatal and postnatal period. Yoga is one of these applications. The effectiveness of yoga practices, which include breathing exercises (pranayama), postures (asana) and meditation, have been proven to be effective in preventing or alleviating complications during pregnancy, delivery and postpartum period. Nurses, who have an important power of health team, can make prenatal and postnatal yoga practices to pregnant women in various yoga centers in pregnant education schools and hospitals with certificate programs