A 2016 systematic review found that interventions which included perinatal yoga significantly reduced symptoms of depression in women.[1] More recently, a 2019 review noted that 3 of 6 Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) of prenatal yoga for depressed pregnant people reported a significant reduction in depression for the yoga group, as did two non-controlled trials. More research is underway. The same 2019 review found a single RCT of yoga for people with postpartum (i.e., after birth) depression, which found a significantly greater reduction in depression for yoga than for control.[2]
Is yoga effective for PPD?
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•Last Updated: May 16, 2025
A 2016 systematic review indicated that perinatal yoga significantly reduced depression symptoms in participants, and a 2019 review found that prenatal yoga also led to significant reductions in depression among some participants. Additionally, a single trial showed that yoga was more effective than a control intervention in reducing postpartum depression.