The influence of an osteopathic treatment on pregnant women on expected date of delivery on the course of parturition and the subjective well-being: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Background: The reduction of birth complications is of high interest in terms of mother and child's physical and mental health. Furthermore, passing the calculated birth date comes along with physi-cal and psychological stress in many late-term pregnant women. Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of one osteopathic treatment on selected birth complications and on the subjective well-being of the mother. The impact of OMT on vital signs and the actual date of delivery and the need for labor inductions was observed. The women's subjective experience with the treatment was interrogated through a questionnaire. Methods: 58 pregnant women took part in this pragmatic controlled pilot study, including one treatment group (n=29) and one control group with usual obstetric care (n=29). The treatment group received one osteopathic treatment on the expected date of delivery. Spielberger's State test, fetal heart rate, mother's heart rate and blood pressure were compared before and after the treatment tested through t-test. Selected maternal complications (using the Fisher Exact Test), actual delivery date, and drug-induced labor were compared between groups. Results: No differences in the rate of selected complications were observed between groups (p=1). The subjective well-being showed significant differences before and after treatment (p<0.001) and correlated with the questionnaire analysis. The birth date was significantly earlier in the treatment group than the control group (p=0.002). No statistically significant differences were observed in terms of drug-induced labor induction (p=0.104). Conclusions: In terms of birth complications, further studies with a higher number of treatments, earlier onset of therapy and treatment during birth with randomized subjects and three groups are highly recommended. Significant effects on the subjective well-being and the due date could be observed which indicate further studies. Keywords: pregnancy, birth process, osteopathic treatment, subjective well-being