Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies
Volume 12, Issue 2 , Pages 146-150, April 2008

Massage therapy reduces pain in pregnant women, alleviates prenatal depression in both parents and improves their relationships

  • Tiffany Field, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Touch Research Institute, University of Miami Medical School, Miami, FL, USA
    • Fielding Graduate University, USA
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Touch Research Institute, University of Miami Medical School, P.O. Box 016820, Miami, FL, USA. Tel.: +13052436781.
    • ,
  • Barbara Figueiredo

      Affiliations

    • University of Minho, Portugal
    • ,
  • Maria Hernandez-Reif

      Affiliations

    • University of Alabama, USA
    • ,
  • Miguel Diego

      Affiliations

    • Touch Research Institute, University of Miami Medical School, Miami, FL, USA
    • ,
  • Osvelia Deeds

      Affiliations

    • Touch Research Institute, University of Miami Medical School, Miami, FL, USA
    • ,
  • Angela Ascencio

      Affiliations

    • Touch Research Institute, University of Miami Medical School, Miami, FL, USA

Received 18 May 2007; received in revised form 7 June 2007; accepted 10 June 2007.

Summary 

Prenatally depressed women (N=47) were randomly assigned to a group that received massage twice weekly from their partners from 20 weeks gestation until the end of pregnancy or a control group. Self-reported leg pain, back pain, depression, anxiety and anger decreased more for the massaged pregnant women than for the control group women. In addition, the partners who massaged the pregnant women versus the control group partners reported less depressed mood, anxiety and anger across the course of the massage therapy period. Finally, scores on a relationship questionnaire improved more for both the women and the partners in the massage group. These data suggest that not only mood states but also relationships improve mutually when depressed pregnant women are massaged by their partners.

Keywords: Massage therapy, Prenatally depressed women, Relationships

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PII: S1360-8592(07)00082-4

doi:10.1016/j.jbmt.2007.06.003

Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies
Volume 12, Issue 2 , Pages 146-150, April 2008

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