Journal of holistic nursing : official journal of the American Holistic Nurses Association | 2021
Alternate Nostril Breathing to Reduce Stress: An Option for Pregnant Women Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence?
Abstract
BACKGROUND\nStress resulting from intimate partner violence (IPV) on pregnant women causes and sustains poor health and contributes to poor pregnancy and birth outcomes. Appropriate interventions to reduce stress in this population of women are warranted.\n\n\nOBJECTIVE\nTo present a systematic review and the state of the science of evidence on alternate nostril breathing (ANB) as a holistic intervention for stress reduction for pregnant survivors of IPV, framed by complex adaptive systems theory and psychoneuroimmunology.\n\n\nDATA SOURCES\nEight databases and reference lists of potential articles.\n\n\nSTUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA\nRandomized controlled trials published between January 2013 and July 2019.\n\n\nPARTICIPANTS\nAdults.\n\n\nINTERVENTION\nANB.\n\n\nSTUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHOD\nPRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines.\n\n\nRESULTS\nANB is effective in reducing stress, as measured by psychological and biological indicators.\n\n\nLIMITATIONS\nStudies were limited in ethnic and gender diversity, most of the populations being Asian Indian and predominately male.\n\n\nCONCLUSIONS\nUse of ANB as a safe and effective holistic intervention for stress reduction shows promise, but research in pregnant survivors of IPV is limited.\n\n\nIMPLICATIONS\nStress reduction benefits may be significant for pregnant survivors of IPV and their fetuses, with minimal risk.