The side effects and mother or child related physical harm from massage during pregnancy and the postpartum period: An observational study

• Published in: Complementary therapies in medicine 2019-02, Vol.42, p.89-94
• Main Authors: Fogarty, Sarah, McInerney, Catherine, Stuart, Cath, Hay, Phillipa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anxiety; Back pain; Edema; Ethics; Feet; Headaches; Hip; Low back pain; Massage; Maternal & child health; Mental disorders; Mental health; Miscarriage; Muscle pain; Neck; Neck pain; Observational studies; Pain; Postnatal; Postpartum; Postpartum period; Pregnancy; Safety; Side effects; Sleep; Therapists; Therapy; Womens health
• ISSN: 0965-2299; 1873-6963
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2018.11.002

•The majority of participants (60%) did not experience any massage side effects events.•There were no mother or child physical harm events.•Low back pain was the most common condition pregnant women sought massage for.•Results lead credence to the mythic nature that massage on feet during pregnancy is unsafe. Women commonly use massage therapy during pregnancy for pregnancy-related health conditions such as lower back and neck pain; however, there is little to no research related evidence on the side effects or mother or child physical harm of massage during pregnancy and the postnatal period. This study aims to report on the side effects and mother or child physical harm of massage during pregnancy and the postnatal period. An observational study methodology. Two massage clinics, one in Sydney and one in Melbourne recruited participants from December 2016 to December 2017. Massage. Side effects and mother or child physical harm from massage. One hundred and one participants were recruited to the study. Two fifths of the participants (n = 32, 40%) experienced one of more post-massage side effects. There were no mother or child physical harm events. Low back pain was the most common condition women sought massage treatment for 34 (33.7.%). A significant benefit (p