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Efficacy of Yoga-Based Intervention in Improving Mother-Child Bonding in Maternal Depression

NCT07515222 · Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 52

Last updated 2026-04-07

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Perinatal depression (PND), defined as a depressive episode occurring from the antenatal period through 12 months following childbirth, has a reported prevalence of 12-22%, with higher rates in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) including India. PND has a multifaceted and detrimental impact on both the mother and the child during a critical window of the child's emotional, cognitive, and physical development. Mother-infant bonding - the affective relationship that develops between a mother and her infant - is significantly impaired by maternal depression. Impaired bonding leads to poor antenatal attachment, earlier cessation of breastfeeding, risk of child maltreatment and neglect, and diminished reciprocal emotional and cognitive growth in the infant. The maternal brain undergoes significant neurobiological adaptations during the perinatal period to facilitate recognition of infant emotional cues, reward-driven bonding experiences, and reciprocal emotional responses. These include changes in oxytocin signalling, cortisol regulation, and functional connectivity of brain regions involved in maternal behaviour. Perinatal depression disrupts these neurobiological processes. Yoga-based interventions offer a safe, cost-effective, culturally acceptable, non-pharmacological approach. Yoga has demonstrated efficacy in improving depression and anxiety in perinatal populations. Its mechanisms include modulation of the HPA axis, reduction of cortisol, enhancement of oxytocin release, and promotion of mindful interoceptive awareness - directly relevant to the neurobiological disruptions in PND. This randomised controlled trial evaluates the efficacy of a structured 3-week bedside yoga intervention as an add-on to treatment as usual in improving mother-infant bonding scores, depression scores, and peripheral oxytocin and cortisol levels in mothers with perinatal depression. The study additionally explores the baseline neural correlates of mother-infant bonding using Event Related Potentials (ERP) and functional MRI (fMRI) of the brain.

Conditions

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Add-on Yoga Intervention

40-minute structured bedside yoga protocol delivered daily for 3 weeks. Comprises rotation movements with mindful awareness and Beej Mantra / humming sound grounding. Delivered by trained yoga instructor at bedside to accommodate postpartum mothers.

DRUG

Treatment as Usual(Medication Based)

Medication as per Depression Protocall

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • All India Institute of Medical Sciences

    lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
19 Years
Max Age
45 Years
Sex
FEMALE
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2026-04-15
Primary Completion
2027-04-14
Completion
2027-05-15

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Diseases

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT07515222 on ClinicalTrials.gov