Can Qigong Support Mental Well-Being During Pregnancy?
What does the research say?
Pregnancy is often described as a joyful time—but for many women, it is also a period marked by uncertainty, emotional strain, and heightened stress. Physical changes, concerns about the baby’s health, shifting identity, and social pressures can all contribute to anxiety and emotional overload. Importantly, research has shown that elevated stress and anxiety during pregnancy are not just uncomfortable experiences; they can affect both maternal health and pregnancy outcomes.
Because of this, there is growing interest in safe, non-pharmacological ways to support mental and emotional well-being during pregnancy. One approach that has attracted attention is qigong, a traditional Chinese mind–body practice that combines gentle movement, breathing, and focused awareness.
A recently published randomized controlled trial examined whether a specific form of qigong—Baduanjin—could help reduce stress and anxiety in pregnant women while also supporting physical confidence and cardiovascular stability. This study adds important clinical evidence to a field where rigorous research has been limited.
Why Study Qigong in Pregnancy?
Psychological stress during pregnancy has been linked to outcomes such as preterm birth, low birth weight, and increased risk of postnatal mental health difficulties. Anxiety and depression frequently overlap, creating a cycle that can be difficult to break.
While medications can be effective in some cases, many pregnant women and clinicians are understandably cautious about pharmacological treatments during pregnancy. This has led researchers to explore mind–body practices—including yoga, tai chi, meditation, and qigong—as potential supportive interventions.
Qigong is particularly interesting because it emphasizes gentle, low-impact movements, slow breathing, and mental calm—features that may be especially suitable during pregnancy. Despite its long history, relatively few high-quality trials have examined qigong specifically in pregnant populations. The researchers designed this study to address that gap.
What Is Baduanjin Qigong?
Baduanjin, often translated as “Eight Silken Movements,” is one of the most widely practiced and standardized forms of qigong. It consists of eight simple movement sequences performed slowly and smoothly, coordinated with breathing and focused attention.
Unlike more physically demanding exercise programs, Baduanjin is designed to be accessible and adaptable. In this study, the movements were carefully modified to avoid abdominal compression or strain, making them appropriate for pregnancy.
The researchers selected Baduanjin because it is easy to learn, widely taught, and supported by prior evidence suggesting benefits for stress regulation and cardiovascular health.
How Was the Study Designed?
This research was a multicenter randomized controlled trial, considered the gold standard for evaluating health interventions. It was conducted between October 2024 and July 2025 at two university-affiliated prenatal education centers in Türkiye.
Who Participated?
The study included 102 pregnant women in their second trimester (between 13 and 27 weeks of pregnancy). Women with high-risk pregnancies or medical conditions that made exercise unsafe were excluded to ensure participant safety.
Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups:
Qigong group (52 women): Received standard prenatal counseling plus an 8-week Baduanjin qigong program
Control group (50 women): Received standard prenatal counseling alone, including advice on walking, nutrition, and breathing exercises
Randomization helps ensure that differences between groups are due to the intervention rather than pre-existing factors.
What Did the Qigong Program Involve?
Women in the qigong group practiced Baduanjin qigong three times per week for 30–45 minutes over eight weeks. Training included a mix of live instruction and guided home practice.
Each session consisted of:
A brief warm-up with slow breathing
Three sets of Baduanjin movements
A cool-down period focused on relaxation and awareness
Participants were instructed to stop immediately if they experienced discomfort, pain, or contractions. Throughout the study, no adverse physical or psychological effects were reported, supporting the safety of the intervention when properly adapted.
What Did the Researchers Measure?
The study assessed both psychological and physiological outcomes before and after the 8-week intervention.
Psychological Measures
Participants completed three validated questionnaires:
Pregnancy-Related Anxiety Scale: Assesses pregnancy-specific worries, including fears about childbirth, the baby’s health, and body changes
Pregnancy Stress Rating Scale: Measures stress related to pregnancy, motherhood, social support, and physical changes
Pregnancy Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale: Evaluates confidence in the ability to engage in physical activity during pregnancy
Physiological Measures
The researchers also recorded:
Blood pressure (systolic and diastolic)
Blood glucose levels
Weight changes
What Were the Key Findings?
Reductions in Anxiety and Stress
After eight weeks, women in the qigong group showed significant reductions in pregnancy-related anxiety and stress across all measured subscales. These improvements were not observed in the control group.
The changes were broad, affecting concerns about childbirth, the baby’s health, physical appearance, motherhood, and social stress. The authors reported that “pregnancy-related anxiety and stress scores, including all subscales, showed significant improvement in the qigong group.”
Improved Confidence in Physical Activity
Exercise self-efficacy increased significantly in the qigong group, indicating that participants felt more confident in their ability to remain physically active during pregnancy. No comparable change was seen in the control group.
This is important because confidence strongly influences whether individuals maintain healthy movement habits, particularly during pregnancy.
Healthier Blood Pressure Responses
Although blood pressure typically rises slightly as pregnancy progresses, the qigong group experienced a significantly smaller increase in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure compared to the control group.
This finding suggests that qigong may help moderate stress-related cardiovascular changes during pregnancy, even though the intervention was not designed as a treatment for hypertension.
How Might Qigong Produce These Effects?
The authors propose several plausible mechanisms:
Stress regulation: Qigong may reduce activation of the body’s stress-response system, leading to lower cortisol levels
Autonomic balance: Slow breathing and gentle movement may promote parasympathetic (relaxation) nervous system activity
Mindfulness and emotional regulation: Focused attention during movement may improve emotional stability and stress coping
Gentle physical engagement: The movements support circulation, posture, and bodily confidence without physical strain
These explanations align with broader research on mind–body practices, although they remain theoretical rather than directly tested in this study.
Why This Study Matters
This trial is one of the more rigorous investigations of qigong during pregnancy to date. It provides evidence that Baduanjin qigong can reduce anxiety and stress, improve confidence in physical activity, and support cardiovascular stability, all without reported harm.
For pregnant women seeking gentle, non-drug approaches to emotional well-being—and for clinicians interested in integrative prenatal care—these findings are meaningful. Qigong is not a replacement for medical or psychological treatment when needed, but it may serve as a supportive complement within prenatal programs.
Final Thoughts
Pregnancy places unique demands on both body and mind. This study suggests that a structured, gentle practice like Baduanjin qigong may help women navigate this period with greater calm, confidence, and emotional resilience.
As the authors conclude, “Baduanjin qigong could be considered as a complementary approach in prenatal care, supporting both maternal mental well-being and cardiovascular health.”
Reference
Dundar Ahi, E., Kuculmez, O., Ikbali Afsar, S., & Eyup Dogan, R. (2025). Effects of qigong for physical and psychological well-being in pregnancy: A multicenter randomized controlled trial. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 95, 103284.
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