Yunita Astuti - Lecturer, Department of Midwifery, Diploma III of Midwifery Program, Health Polytechnic of Health Ministry of Jakarta I, Jakarta, Indonesia
Hsueh-Fen Chou - Assistant Professor, Department of Nurse-Midwifery and Women Health, College of Nursing., National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Taipei, Taiwan
Chieh-Yu Liu - Professor, Department of Speech Language Pathology and Audiology, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, College of Nursing, Taipei, Taiwan
Chien-Huei Kao - Associate Professor, Department of Nurse-Midwifery and Women Health, College of Nursing, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Taipei, Taiwan

Background & aim: Maternal-fetal attachment is one of the several psychological processes during pregnancy that builds the relationship between a mother and her unborn child. It seems that Prenatal Gentle Yoga (PGY) promotes wellbeing during pregnancy. However, no study has evaluated the effect of PGY on maternal-fetal attachment in Indonesia. This study aimed to measure the effect of PGY on maternal-fetal attachment among first-time expectant mothers. Methods: This interventional study, was conducted from July-August ۲۰۱۸ in Central Java Province, Indonesia, compared maternal-fetal attachment among ۱۳۰ primigravidae women who did (n=۶۵) and did not (n=۶۵) practice PGY. Participants were ۲۰ to ۳۵ years old, between ۳۲ and ۴۲ weeks of gestation, with normal singleton pregnancies and no obstetric complications as well as no history of psychological disorders which recruited with convenience sampling. The intervention group participated in eight or more hours of PGY classes (a minimum of six, ۹۰-minute, once-weekly sessions). The control group did not do yoga. Women completed a demographic questionnaire and the Prenatal Attachment Inventory, analyzed with SPSS ۲۰.۰. Independent samples t-test and hierarchical multiple linear regression were used to analyze the data. Results: Prenatal Gentle Yoga increased maternal-fetal attachment scores among participants who attended eight or more hours of classes compared to those who did not (P=۰.۰۰۱). Educational level and participation in yoga classes were the strongest predictors of maternal-fetal attachment (R۲=.۱۴۲). Conclusion: Practicing PGY can increase maternal-fetal attachment. Midwives could recommend PGY to pregnant women in the routine antenatal care in Indonesia and around the world.

Maternal-fetal attachment, Prenatal Gentle Yoga Pregnancy, prenatal care, Indonesia