Childhood trauma exposure does not moderate resting respiratory sinus arrhythmia during a prenatal yoga intervention

Abstract

Pregnancy may induce a period of wide-ranging physiological changes and stress, including decreased resting respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA). Low resting RSA has been associated with various mental health symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and externalizing behaviors. Research suggests that women with a history of childhood trauma may experience lifelong dysregulation of their stress response systems and therefore may be particularly vulnerable to such health effects. While a broader body of literature suggests mind-body interventions may serve as a meaningful buffer, research addressing such interventions in this population is limited. Therefore, this study examined the potential moderating effects of childhood trauma exposure on changes in resting RSA following a short virtual yoga intervention. RSA was collected through an application on participants' cellphones, which uses non-invasive photoplethysmography to collect heart rate. Data collection is ongoing, however, preliminary results with 32 pregnant women do not show a significant moderating effect of childhood trauma exposure on changes in resting RSA (F = 1.764, p-value = 0.181). Initial findings suggest that childhood trauma exposure does not impact the efficacy of yoga interventions on RSA during pregnancy. Limitations of this study include a small, highly educated and majority White sample. Given the implications for developing interventions that are effective in pregnant women regardless of their background, future research that expands upon these findings could improve women's health and offspring development.