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

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.

Introduction

Pregnancy massage has been noted to reduce depression and anxiety in women as well as reduce the stress hormone cortisol and lower the prematurity rate (Field et al., 2004b). The massages in that study were provided by the partners (putative fathers) who might also be expected to become less stressed by giving the massages, although the men were not assessed in that study. The massaged person has been noted to benefit as much as the massager, for example, in studies where elderly folks (Field et al., 1998) and parents provide the massages for infants or young children (Feijo et al., 2006; Field et al., 2004c, Field et al., 2006b, Field et al., 2006c). In another study that exclusively assessed the partners who provided the pregnancy massages, the men experienced improved mood across the treatment period (Latifses et al., 2005).

Given that the rates of pregnancy-related depression are almost as high in fathers as mothers (12% versus 20% in one recent study, Morse et al., 2000), and given the high incidence of assortative¹ mating or dysphoric women being paired with symptomatic partners (Daley and Hammen, 2002; Matthey et al., 2003), the well-being of the fathers may be important for the mothers’ well-being (Rubertson et al., 2003). Certainly the relationship between the pregnant couple would be affected by both partners, and the relationship, in turn, would impact the level of distress in the two partners (Bernazzani et al., 2004; Simpson et al., 2003). In one study, for example, men's peak distress was noted early in pregnancy, and lower relationship satisfaction was associated with distress (Buist et al., 2003). Pregnancy has been noted to be the most stressful period for men undergoing the transition to parenthood (Codon et al., 2004; Field et al., 2006a). Paternal and maternal depressed mood and partner relationships are then noted to affect postpartum adjustment to parenthood (Florsheim et al., 2003; Matthey et al., 2000).

Despite the apparent importance of the relationship for pregnancy well-being, very little research has focused on relationships or on pregnancy interventions for these relationships. In one recent study, the partners with non-optimal relationship scores also had higher depression and anxiety scores by the end of pregnancy (Figueiredo et al., 2007).

Pregnancy massage has been noted to decrease depression in both non-depressed pregnant women massaged by therapists (Field et al., 1999) and depressed pregnant women massaged by their partners (Field et al., 2004b). The purpose of the current study was to determine whether pregnancy massage by fathers could not only reduce leg and back pain and stress in the pregnant women but also could reduce the fathers’ stress levels (depression, anxiety and anger) as well as improve their perception of their relationships with their partners. Pregnancy massages by the fathers were expected to lower pain in the pregnant women and lower stress and improve perception of the relationship in both partners.