Effects of Different Massage Methods on the Severity of Labor Pain in Primipara Females With Infertility

A non–invasive method of relieving pain is implementing massage therapies. The technique of massage has long been art with a combination of human connection and the miracle of touch. Furthermore, it is a manner to use healing elixirs, such as herbal scents in the service of mankind. Massage, by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, reduces anxiety by facilitating endorphin secretion. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of different massage methods on the severity of labor pain in nulliparous women who received treatment from an infertility specialist for ≥3 years.

This was a quasi–experimental study with a pretest–posttest and a control group design, i.e., conducted in 2017–18. Fifty pregnant 20– to 35–year–old women with ≥3 years of infertility underwent various massage procedures. Moreover, the study subjects were divided into 5 groups of 10 females. The control group received no massage. The second group included those receiving massage sessions before delivery; the third, fourth, and fifth groups included pregnant women. The researcher (the third author of the article) massaged them during childbirth, including massage, Hugo point, massage at the Sanyinjiao point, and back massage. The study inclusion criteria included nulliparous women aged 20–35 years, ≥3 years of infertility experience, willingness to participate in the study, and having a single fetus with a gestational age of 42–34 weeks. The exclusion criteria of the study were diagnosed psychiatric and anatomical disorders (psychosis, pelvic stenosis, etc.), chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, hypertension, diabetes, and skin conditions (lesions, eczema, inflammation in the area of ​​massage), embryonic growth restriction, and the induction of labor with oxytocin. Furthermore, the exclusion categories were divided into two classes; the first category included the pregnant mother’s health and the mother’s physiologic response. The Short Form of McGill Pain Questionnaire (Melzack, 1987) was used to assess pain in the study participants. For data analysis, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's posthoc test were used at a significance level of 0.05.

There was a significant difference between the control group and other study groups, including back massage, prenatal back massage, Hugo point, and Sanyinjiao point in reducing labor pain (p<0.001). In other words, all provided massage methods have reduced the extent of labor pain in the explored women. Among different methods of massage, the back–massage approach reduced the labor pain level the most (p<0.001).

According to the current study results, massage therapy was effective in reducing pain in the study participants; thus, it is an effective, safe, simple, and inexpensive measure for facilitating delivery. Therefore, it can be used to reduce labor pain and help mothers.