The Effects of Whole Body Prenatal Massage Therapy During Pregnancy: A Randomized Controlled Experimental Trial

Background: Massage therapy in many parts of the world is used in all periods of pregnancy. Aim: The study aimed to determine the effect of massage therapy during pregnancy on women and their fetuses in a university hospital in Izmir, Turkey. Method: A randomized controlled experimental trial was aimed to reach primipara pregnant women, 20-35 years old, who came to a university obstetric clinic to get the results of the first-trimester screen test. Researchers aimed to reach 30 pregnant women at the start of the study. Participants were randomly allocated to a parallel comparison group by a central office. The sampling technique has been applied according to the CONSORT criteria. The study practices have been carried out after receiving ethics committee and institution approvals after the researcher completed the prenatal massage therapy training, and after taking the voluntary informed consent of the pregnant women. The practices have been carried out in the massage office that was formed within the scope of the study. Electronic fetal monitoring (EFM), BPP, vital signs, fetal heart rate (FHR) evaluation have been carried out for the pregnants whose routine gestational monitoring went on during their gestational week between the 30th and 34th in the control group, and Pregnant Description Form, VAS, Prenatal Attachment Inventory-PAI, Revised Prenatal Distress Questionnaire-PDQ have been applied. In the prenatal massage therapy group, between the 30th and 34th weeks, each week for five weeks, prenatal massage therapy including a 60 minutes deep tissue and Sweden massage methods had been applied once a week. Side-Lying Positioning System that is designed specifically for the pregnant has been used during the practices. In addition, the reason why the study group consisted of pregnant women in these weeks; Perinatology specialists recommend women to experience a deep and sustainable level of relaxation for 45-60 minutes before falling asleep, especially in the last