Enhancing Prenatal Mindfulness Through Self-Affirmation and Yoga: A Case Study Approach

Abstract

Anchored in SDG 3’s imperative to “ensure healthy lives,” but roughly 20% of women experience anxiety worldwide, including pregnant women. To overcome it, they should deepen self-knowledge, bolster self-compassion, and enhance resilience against prenatal distress. This study uses a one-group post-test only design with purposive sampling to assess the impact of combined self‑affirmation and prenatal yoga on mindfulness. Employing a pre-experimental, single‑case design with healthy women at 20–36 weeks’ gestation, the intervention was practiced by a midwife who is certified yoga facilitator. After each weekly private yoga session, including breathing exercises, verbal self-affirmation, yoga sequences, and praying, participants completed the FFMQ to assess mindfulness. Among 18 pregnant women, most were primiparous. Based on the FFMQ results, mean scores for Observing (30.3), Describing (24.1), and Acting with Awareness (19.2) were above the median values 29.5, 24, 19.5, while mean Non‑Judging (19.0) closely approximated its median (19.5), and mean Non‑Reactivity (20.6), while the median (20.0). The combined prenatal yoga and self‑affirmation program improved key mindfulness facets: Observing, Describing, and Acting with Awareness, while preserving Non‑Judging and Non‑Reactivity, thereby enhancing attentional focus and emotional labeling to buffer prenatal stress. Good scores mean greater mindfulness. This approach effectively fosters emotional resilience and well‑being in pregnancy.