Open AccessThe Use of Massage to Support Emotional and Physical Health in a Pregnancy After Stillbirth: a Case Study
Author(s) -
Sarah Fogarty
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
international journal of therapeutic massage and bodywork
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.23
H-Index - 13
ISSN - 1916-257X
DOI - 10.3822/ijtmb.v15i1.695
Subject(s) - massage , anxiety , pregnancy , session (web analytics) , physical therapy , medicine , emotional support , psychology , social support , alternative medicine , psychiatry , psychotherapist , pathology , biology , world wide web , computer science , genetics
Objective: To observe the effects of massage aiming to support a mum in her pregnancy after a previous stillbirth. The client’s goal varied over the course of her pregnancy, but her main motivation was to help manage the anxiety and stress of pregnancy after a previous stillbirth.Methods: A 32-year-old pregnant wom-an received seven massages over a seven-month period. The Measure Yourself Concerns and Wellbeing (MYCaW) outcome measure was used at each session to identify the client’s concerns at that time point. Written feedback was also sought from the client just prior to her giving birth.Results: The client’s concerns included anxiety, sciatica, stress, shoulder tension/soreness, and a lack of sleep. The client experienced a decrease in each concern after each treatment over the seven sessions and experienced improved wellbeing after each session. The client self-reported that the massage helped her cope, saying: “I’m not sure how I would have coped if I didn’t have her sessions.”Conclusions: Massage is a treatment option for women experiencing pregnancy after stillbirth, which can provide physical and emotional support.