Abstract

YOGA AND PRANAYAMA AS A PART OF ANC

Dr. Vanishree S. K.*, Dr. Chethana Kumari A. and Dr. Ramesh M.

ABSTRACT

Pregnancy is a transformative experience that women typically embrace with optimism, joy and a commitment to maintaining good health. Yet intense antenatal surveillance and considerable emphasis on risk and danger has supplanted the reality of pregnancy as a normal life process characterized by prudent health behaviors and a sense of well-being. Yoga is a modality that promotes the awareness of wholeness and balance in the person environmental energy field through postures, breathing, and meditation. Focused breathing, gentle stretching, standing and seated yoga postures, and relaxation are practiced. Religious philosophies, spiritual practices promotes positivity in the woman strengthening her to enjoy motherhood and deliver normally. Yoga have been practiced for centuries as a path to holistic health and well-being, producing a state of complete harmony of mind, body, and spirit. Ancient Alvars and Acharyaas have explained various yoga asana and Pranayamas for the Women. They say Women have a special right to practice yoga because she is responsible for Santaana taru(continuity). During pregnancy there are various physiological, physical and psychological changes occurring in the body. Woman faces variations in herself due to hormonal changes. All the changes need to be faced efficiently without causing any damage to fetus or the mother hence methods like Yoga pranayama meditation acts like a nector helping woman to withstand all and go through a easy uneventful delivery.

Keywords: yoga, pranayama, mind harmony, normal delivery.