Yoga vs. Walking Which One is More Effective For Postpartum Depression: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Postpartum depression (PPD) affects up to 27.6% of mothers worldwide, potentially exerting adverse effects on the health of both mother and child. Physical activities such as yoga and walking may offer benefits in managing PPD. Although both yoga and walking have been examined as interventions for postpartum depression, no systematic review has directly compared their relative effectiveness. This study seeks to review and compare these two interventions in mitigating postpartum depression. A systematic review has been registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251141136). The review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines through PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and MEDLINE. The search date range is between 2000 and 2024. We used the Cochrane risk of bias tool (RoB 1) and ROBINS-I to assess the quality of the included studies, using keywords such as postpartum depression, yoga, and walking. Articles that met the inclusion criteria were studies with RCT or quasi-experimental designs. Result of the 10 studies analyzed, yoga consistently showed significant reductions in postpartum depression scores (p< 0.05), improved coping, and emotional well-being. Walking was effective for managing depressive symptoms in certain groups, especially when done in the community. However, the results were not significant due to low adherence. Yoga is more effective in managing PPD, especially in mothers with major depression. Walking is relevant as an adjunct, especially for mothers with mild depression symptoms. The combination of yoga and walking may provide maximum benefits for postpartum mothers. 

Keywords: exercise, yoga, walking, postpartum depression