Music Therapy in Childbirth: Research in Practice

This study focused on the effectiveness of music therapy in assisting relaxation and breaking the fear-tension-pain syndrome during the birthing process of selected women. The study group consisted of primipara women who had taken childbirth education classes, prior music therapy sessions, coaching in relaxation and breathing techniques, and who had a coach/partner along with music therapy during labor. The control group consisted of primipara women who had the same treatment and who had a coach, but no music therapy prior to or during labor. Independent t-tests and chi-squared tests of independence revealed that there was no between group difference in the amount and frequency of medication requested or accepted. An hourly relaxation assessment based on the Trippet Muscle Relaxation Inventory (Codding, 1983) revealed that women in the music therapy group were significantly more relaxed than those in the control group during the 3 hours prior to delivery. Similarly, results of questionnaires completed by both groups prenatally and postnatally assessing their expectation and their experience of personal control (Browning, 1997; Hodnett & Simmons-Tropea, 1987), showed that women in the music therapy group experienced significantly more personal control during their labor than those in the control group. Subjective evaluations of music therapy were compiled from questionnaires and interviews conducted postnatally with women in the study group.