Feasibility of a Prenatal Yoga Mobile App in African American Pregnant Women

NCT ID: NCT06353113

Last Updated: 2026-01-07

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

50 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-04-18

Study Completion Date

2026-12-31

Brief Summary

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The goal of this research is to test if a prenatal yoga app can improve well-being in African American/Black (AA) pregnant women. The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. Is the Down Dog prenatal yoga app feasible for AA pregnant women?
2. How does mental and physical health change after using the Down Dog app for 12-weeks?
3. What cultural adaptations to the Down Dog app are needed?

The study lasts for 12 weeks and participants are asked to:

* do prenatal yoga with the app for at least 20 min/day, three days/week, from home
* wear a Garmin Vivosmart 5 watch daily
* complete four online surveys
* complete an optional virtual interview

This project aims to advance public health by contributing to a broader understanding of how prenatal yoga can support the health and well-being of AA pregnant women and promote optimal maternal and child health outcomes.

Detailed Description

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Recruitment: The investigators will recruit 50 pregnant African American women from local prenatal clinics, non-profits, and social media.

Eligibility: All interested participants will complete a web-based eligibility screener (\~5 minutes). Eligible participants will be asked to schedule a virtual intake appointment to review the consent form with a research team member.

Procedures: Participants must sign an informed consent and complete a Physical Activity Readiness Medical Examination (PARmed-X) for Pregnancy with their healthcare provider before beginning the study. Once participants sign the consent and return a completed PARmed-X form, they will be asked to schedule an in-person enrollment appointment.

During the in-person enrollment appointment, participants will receive a free yoga mat and Garmin Vivosmart 5, and study materials. A research team member will set up the Garmin device for the participant. Participants will be asked to resume normal activities for one week before beginning the intervention and to complete a baseline survey.

After one week of baseline data collection, a research team member will send the participant an email with instructions to download/use the prenatal yoga mobile app and other relevant study materials. Participants will then engage in prenatal yoga using the mobile app for at least 20 min/day, 3 days/week for the next 12 weeks. Participants will receive a mid-intervention survey at 6 weeks, a post-intervention survey at 12 weeks, and will have an opportunity to complete a virtual interview when the study is over. Within 1-2 weeks after the participants' due date, a research team member will send an online birth outcomes survey to collect self-reported birth outcomes.

The baseline, mid-intervention, and post-intervention surveys will ask about mental and physical health and perceptions about using the prenatal mobile app. The optional virtual interview will ask questions related to further understanding the feasibility of the prenatal yoga mobile app and exploring cultural adaptations to improve the app.

Conditions

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Pregnancy Related Mental Health Issue Discrimination, Racial Stress Depression

Study Design

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Allocation Method

NA

Intervention Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Primary Study Purpose

OTHER

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Down Dog Prenatal Yoga App

Prenatal yoga via Down Dog Prenatal Yoga Mobile App 20 minutes a day, 3 days per week, for 12 weeks.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Down Dog Prenatal Yoga App

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The Down Dog prenatal yoga app launched in 2015 and was designed to align with the changes a pregnant body goes through in each trimester. Users can select a practice by trimester, which will offer modification cues to work with a changing body during pregnancy. Users can also customize their experience by boosting things like Heartburn or Pubic Symphysis so they can continue to practice yoga and omit poses that might be uncomfortable. The app also utilizes user feedback, to continuously implement new practices to better their app for user interface.

All of the prenatal yoga classes were created by a certified and experienced prenatal yoga instructor who has a 200hr yoga certification through Pure Yoga (New York), 80hr prenatal yoga certification through Prenatal Yoga Center (New Yoga), and is Trauma Informed Yoga certified through Exhale to Inhale (New York).

Interventions

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Down Dog Prenatal Yoga App

The Down Dog prenatal yoga app launched in 2015 and was designed to align with the changes a pregnant body goes through in each trimester. Users can select a practice by trimester, which will offer modification cues to work with a changing body during pregnancy. Users can also customize their experience by boosting things like Heartburn or Pubic Symphysis so they can continue to practice yoga and omit poses that might be uncomfortable. The app also utilizes user feedback, to continuously implement new practices to better their app for user interface.

All of the prenatal yoga classes were created by a certified and experienced prenatal yoga instructor who has a 200hr yoga certification through Pure Yoga (New York), 80hr prenatal yoga certification through Prenatal Yoga Center (New Yoga), and is Trauma Informed Yoga certified through Exhale to Inhale (New York).

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

Participants will be included in the study if they:

* Are 18-46 years of age (childbearing age)
* Reside in San Diego Metropolitan Area
* Speak English
* Are between 13-28 weeks when intervention starts
* Are primiparous (giving birth for the first time)
* Have a singleton pregnancy (pregnant with only one baby)
* Are yoga naive (\<60 min/month for past 6 months)
* Have access to smartphone/mobile device
* Willing to wear a wrist worn fitness tracker for the duration of the study
* Willing to download and use 3 mobile apps for the duration of the study
* Identify as Black or African American
* Return a completed Physical Activity Readiness Medical Examination (PARmed-X) for Pregnancy form (HCP approves participation in prenatal PA program before beginning intervention)

Exclusion Criteria

* High-risk pregnancy
* Severe psychiatric disorder or substance abuse
* Denial of physical activity participation from physician
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

46 Years

Eligible Sex

FEMALE

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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San Diego State University

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Jennifer Green

Assistant Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Jeni Green, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

San Diego State University

Locations

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San Diego State University

San Diego, California, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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United States

Central Contacts

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Jennifer Green, PhD

Role: CONTACT

619-594-6489

Facility Contacts

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Jeni Green, PhD

Role: primary

References

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MacDorman MF, Thoma M, Declcerq E, Howell EA. Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Maternal Mortality in the United States Using Enhanced Vital Records, 2016-2017. Am J Public Health. 2021 Sep;111(9):1673-1681. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2021.306375. Epub 2021 Aug 12.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 34383557 (View on PubMed)

Ely DM, Driscoll AK. Infant Mortality in the United States, 2020: Data From the Period Linked Birth/Infant Death File. Natl Vital Stat Rep. 2022 Sep;71(5):1-18.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 36190428 (View on PubMed)

Giurgescu C, Kavanaugh K, Norr KF, Dancy BL, Twigg N, McFarlin BL, Engeland CG, Hennessy MD, White-Traut RC. Stressors, resources, and stress responses in pregnant African American women: a mixed-methods pilot study. J Perinat Neonatal Nurs. 2013 Jan-Mar;27(1):81-96. doi: 10.1097/JPN.0b013e31828363c3.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 23360946 (View on PubMed)

Knuist M, Bonsel GJ, Zondervan HA, Treffers PE. Risk factors for preeclampsia in nulliparous women in distinct ethnic groups: a prospective cohort study. Obstet Gynecol. 1998 Aug;92(2):174-8. doi: 10.1016/s0029-7844(98)00143-4.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 9699746 (View on PubMed)

Brown HL, Chireau MV, Jallah Y, Howard D. The "Hispanic paradox": an investigation of racial disparity in pregnancy outcomes at a tertiary care medical center. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2007 Aug;197(2):197.e1-7; discussion 197.e7-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2007.04.036.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 17689648 (View on PubMed)

Dagher RK, Linares DE. A Critical Review on the Complex Interplay between Social Determinants of Health and Maternal and Infant Mortality. Children (Basel). 2022 Mar 10;9(3):394. doi: 10.3390/children9030394.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 35327766 (View on PubMed)

Larson CP. Poverty during pregnancy: Its effects on child health outcomes. Paediatr Child Health. 2007 Oct;12(8):673-7. doi: 10.1093/pch/12.8.673.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 19030445 (View on PubMed)

Narendran S, Nagarathna R, Narendran V, Gunasheela S, Nagendra HR. Efficacy of yoga on pregnancy outcome. J Altern Complement Med. 2005 Apr;11(2):237-44. doi: 10.1089/acm.2005.11.237.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 15865489 (View on PubMed)

Green J, James D, Larkey L, Leiferman J, Buman M, Oh C, Huberty J. A qualitative investigation of a prenatal yoga intervention to prevent excessive gestational weight gain: A thematic analysis of interviews. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2021 Aug;44:101414. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2021.101414. Epub 2021 May 6.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 33989862 (View on PubMed)

Battle CL, Uebelacker LA, Magee SR, Sutton KA, Miller IW. Potential for prenatal yoga to serve as an intervention to treat depression during pregnancy. Womens Health Issues. 2015 Mar-Apr;25(2):134-41. doi: 10.1016/j.whi.2014.12.003.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 25747520 (View on PubMed)

Green J, Neher T, Puzia M, Laird B, Huberty J. Pregnant women's use of a consumer-based meditation mobile app: A descriptive study. Digit Health. 2022 Mar 27;8:20552076221089098. doi: 10.1177/20552076221089098. eCollection 2022 Jan-Dec.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 35371532 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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HS-2023-0254

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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