EFFECTIVENESS OF SLOW DEEP BREATHING THERAPY IN FIRST-TRIMESTER PREGNANT WOMEN IN HYPERTENSION

Abstract

Background: Hypertension in pregnancy is defined as an increase in blood pressure of
≥140/90 mmHg occurring after 20 weeks of gestation, and it remains one of the leading causes
of maternal morbidity and mortality. Object: This study aims to determine the effectiveness of
slow deep breathing therapy in reducing blood pressure among first-trimester pregnant women
with hypertension in the working area of Sepanjang Glenmore Community Health Center,
Banyuwangi. Methode: This research employed a quantitative approach using a preexperimental one-group pretest–posttest design. The sample consisted of 33 first-trimester
pregnant women with hypertension, selected through consecutive sampling. The intervention
slow deep breathing therapy was performed for 15 minutes per session, three times daily, over
three consecutive days. Blood pressure was measured before and after the intervention and
analyzed using the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test. Results: Pre-test data indicated that 100% of
respondents were classified as having mild hypertension. After the intervention, post-test
results showed that the majority of respondents were in the pre-hypertension category
(81.82%), followed by normal (12.12%), and only 6.06% remained in mild hypertension. The
Wilcoxon test demonstrated a significant reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood
pressure, with an Asymp. Sig. (2-tailed) = 0.000 (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Slow deep breathing
therapy proved effective in reducing blood pressure among first-trimester pregnant women
with hypertension. This technique is expected to serve as a non-pharmacological intervention
reference for midwives, particularly in the Sepanjang Glenmore Community Health Center
area, to support hypertension control efforts during pregnancy.