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Pregnant women benefit from massage therapy.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Field, T; Hernandez-Reif, M; Hart, S; Theakston, H; Schanberg, S; Kuhn, C
Published in: J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol
March 1999

Twenty-six pregnant women were assigned to a massage therapy or a relaxation therapy group for 5 weeks. The therapies consisted of 20-min sessions twice a week. Both groups reported feeling less anxious after the first session and less leg pain after the first and last session. Only the massage therapy group, however, reported reduced anxiety, improved mood, better sleep and less back pain by the last day of the study. In addition, urinary stress hormone levels (norepinephrine) decreased for the massage therapy group and the women had fewer complications during labor and their infants had fewer postnatal complications (e.g., less prematurity).

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Published In

J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol

DOI

ISSN

0167-482X

Publication Date

March 1999

Volume

20

Issue

1

Start / End Page

31 / 38

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Treatment Outcome
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Stress, Psychological
  • Relaxation Therapy
  • Pregnancy Outcome
  • Pregnancy Complications
  • Pregnancy
  • Pain
  • Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine
  • Norepinephrine
 

Citation

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Field, T., Hernandez-Reif, M., Hart, S., Theakston, H., Schanberg, S., & Kuhn, C. (1999). Pregnant women benefit from massage therapy. J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol, 20(1), 31–38. https://doi.org/10.3109/01674829909075574
Field, T., M. Hernandez-Reif, S. Hart, H. Theakston, S. Schanberg, and C. Kuhn. “Pregnant women benefit from massage therapy.J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol 20, no. 1 (March 1999): 31–38. https://doi.org/10.3109/01674829909075574.
Field T, Hernandez-Reif M, Hart S, Theakston H, Schanberg S, Kuhn C. Pregnant women benefit from massage therapy. J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol. 1999 Mar;20(1):31–8.
Field, T., et al. “Pregnant women benefit from massage therapy.J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol, vol. 20, no. 1, Mar. 1999, pp. 31–38. Pubmed, doi:10.3109/01674829909075574.
Field T, Hernandez-Reif M, Hart S, Theakston H, Schanberg S, Kuhn C. Pregnant women benefit from massage therapy. J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol. 1999 Mar;20(1):31–38.
Journal cover image

Published In

J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol

DOI

ISSN

0167-482X

Publication Date

March 1999

Volume

20

Issue

1

Start / End Page

31 / 38

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Treatment Outcome
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Stress, Psychological
  • Relaxation Therapy
  • Pregnancy Outcome
  • Pregnancy Complications
  • Pregnancy
  • Pain
  • Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine
  • Norepinephrine