Impact of Relaxation Techniques on Physiological Parameters among Pregnant Women with Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension: A Pilot Study

Aim: The study aims to evaluate the impact of relaxation techniques on physiological parameters among pregnant women with pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH). Methods: A quasi-experimental, non-equivalent pretest–post-test control group design was conducted among 44 pregnant women with PIH. Participants were selected through convenience sampling and divided into study and control groups. The study group received relaxation therapy comprising progressive muscle relaxation and guided imagery with audio instructions, practiced twice daily for 4 to 12 weeks across a 3-month intervention period. Results: During the pretest, the mean ± standard deviation systolic blood pressure (SBP) was 145.59 ± 4.76 in the study group and 146.90 ± 4.85 in the control group. Post-test 1 and 2 SBP scores were 139.90 ± 3.77 and 138.90 ± 4.56 in the study group, compared to 140.63 ± 7.51 and 139.90 ± 7.44 in the control group. For diastolic blood pressure (DBP), pretest scores were 96.04 ± 5.42 and 95.40 ± 4.05, while post-test 1 and 2 DBP scores were 90.68 ± 3.82 and 89.77 ± 4.11 in the study group, compared to 94.04 ± 5.42 and 93.70 ± 5.66 in controls. Proteinuria decreased from 45.90 ± 68.77 to 2.27 ± 4.28 in the study group, compared to 12.72 ± 21.19 in controls. A significant association was found between the DBP clinical variables of type of delivery at P ≤ 0.05. Conclusion: Relaxation techniques significantly improve physiological parameters, including blood pressure and proteinuria, among pregnant women with PIH.