Stretching beyond the wound: a review of yogic interventions in repairing maternal affect, cortisol dysregulation, and postpartum somatic disorientation

Abstract

Following childbirth, most women show linked disruptions in affect regulation, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, and somatic orientation that may impede their emotional functioning and mother-infant relationships. Pharmacotherapy typically fails to adequately address these complex challenges. This manuscript is a narrative review that summarizes the findings of randomized trials, systematic reviews, and mechanistic studies on yoga-based interventions to address postpartum mood, cortisol regulation, and somatic disorientation. Results on the whole show that yoga is linked with decreases in depressive and anxiety symptoms, enhancements in perceived stress, and changes in HPA axis activity. Nevertheless, the various styles of yoga, dosing regimens, levels of supervision, and the use of small sample sizes with short follow-up periods contribute to the uncertainty of the conclusions. The emerging literature and reasonable biopsychosocial hypotheses indicate that yoga can be a practical supplement to standard postpartum care. The review provides a comment on the gaps in the methodology and gives suggestions on the possibility of normalizing protocols, outcome measures, and safety reporting to enhance future studies and make it more equal in its application.