Benefits of Complementary Therapies During Pregnancy, Childbirth and Postpartum Period: A Systematic Review.

Authors: Consolación Lima-De-La-Iglesia, Eleonora Magni, Alicia Botello-Hermosa, María Dolores Guerra-MartínJournal: Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)Published: January 4, 2025DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12232481

Q2 JournalSJR: 0.55h-index: 52

Strong EvidenceSystematic Reviewn=1684 participants

Pregnancy Discomfort

In Plain Language: pregnancy, explained

The study investigated the effects of complementary therapies, including reflexology, to manage pain, anxiety, and depression during pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum. It found that these therapies significantly reduced pain during labor and improved mental health outcomes. This is important as it highlights non-medical options that can enhance maternal health and wellbeing during critical periods.

Key Findings: what this systematic review found about pregnancy

✓17 studies included in the systematic review
✓Significant reduction in labor pain for women receiving reflexology
✓Yoga practice during pregnancy effectively reduces anxiety and depression

What This Means for You

For individuals considering reflexology during pregnancy, the study suggests it may help alleviate labor pain and improve overall mental wellbeing. This can be particularly beneficial for those seeking non-pharmaceutical options during childbirth.

What This Means for Practitioners

Reflexology practitioners can incorporate findings from this study to support pregnant clients by offering reflexology as a complementary therapy for pain relief during labor and to promote better mental health postpartum.

Study Design: how this systematic review was run

Blinding

open label

Control

none

Duration

varied (across studies)

Sample Size

1684 participants

Limitations: what it cannot tell you about pregnancy

The main limitations include variability in study designs and interventions, as well as a focus on certain complementary therapies over others.

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Pregnancy: common questions

What does this study say about pregnancy?

What did this study find?

17 studies included in the systematic review. Significant reduction in labor pain for women receiving reflexology. Yoga practice during pregnancy effectively reduces anxiety and depression.

How strong is this evidence?

This is a systematic review and we rate its evidence strong. It covers 1,684 participants. It was published in Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), a Q2 journal. This study is indexed here for context; it did not test reflexology itself.