Virtually-delivered prenatal yoga to prevent postpartum depression (PRYD) in women with a history of depression: Protocol for an exploratory pilot randomized controlled trial

Postpartum depression affects approximately 13 % of women in the United States and contributes to adverse maternal and infant health outcomes. While a range of effective treatment approaches are available, there are substantial barriers to receiving care for postpartum depression. Preventive interventions during pregnancy to reduce the risk of postpartum depression may mitigate some of the barriers experienced in the postpartum period, and approaches that help manage stress and improve wellness are needed. Prenatal yoga, which has a range of physical and mental health benefits and has been shown to improve depressive symptoms in pregnancy, may be a feasible and acceptable alternative to traditional mental health treatment. However, additional research is needed to increase the accessibility of prenatal yoga for high-risk populations and determine whether it can be effectively implemented in healthcare settings to reduce postpartum depression risk. The PRY-D Study is an exploratory pilot randomized controlled trial that optimizes a mindful prenatal yoga intervention to prevent postpartum depression for pregnant patients at high risk of postpartum depression and examines feasibility, acceptability, satisfaction and preliminary effectiveness of the intervention. Results from this pilot randomized controlled trial enrolling a total of 48 pregnant patients at a large healthcare system will inform the development of a future fully powered hybrid type 2 effectiveness-implementation trial.

Clinical Trial Registration Number: NCT06004232.