Efficacy of Yoga-Based Intervention in Improving Mother-Child Bonding in Maternal Depression
Starting soon · Not applicable
Conditions studied: Perinatal Depression, Postpartum Depression, Mother-Infant Bonding Disorder
In brief
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.
Key facts
- Study ID
- NCT07515222
- Run by
- All India Institute of Medical Sciences
- People needed
- 52
- Starts
- 2026-04-15
- Expected to finish
- 2027-05-15
- Last updated by the study team
- 2026-04-07
Who can join
Age: 19 and older, up to 45. Sex: female. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.
You may qualify if…
- • Mothers aged 19 to 45 years presenting with an index depressive episode with onset either antenatally or within 12 months following childbirth and having a living child aged 0 to 28 months at time of enrolment
- Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) score of 13 or above3
- Willing to participate and provide written informed consent
You may not qualify if…
- • Severe mental health conditions including psychotic features
- Active suicidal ideation or infanticidal ideas
- Active substance dependence (excluding nicotine)
- Unstable medical condition
- Extreme physical limitation precluding yoga participation
- Visual or auditory impairment
Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov
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