Effect of Prenatal Perineal Massage on Postpartum Perineal Injury and Postpartum Complications: A Meta-Analysis.

Authors: Qiuxia Chen, Xiaocui Qiu, Aizhen Fu, Yanmei HanJournal: Computational and mathematical methods in medicinePublished: July 26, 2022DOI: 10.1155/2022/3315638

Q2 JournalSJR: 0.21h-index: 17SCImago

Strong EvidenceMeta Analysis

Pregnancy Discomfort

In Plain Language: pregnancy, explained

Researchers combined results from multiple studies to examine whether massaging the perineum (the area between the vagina and anus) during pregnancy could reduce tears and complications after childbirth. They found that prenatal perineal massage was associated with reduced perineal trauma and fewer postpartum complications in women giving birth vaginally.

Key Findings: what this meta-analysis found about pregnancy

✓Prenatal perineal massage was associated with reduced perineal trauma in women undergoing vaginal delivery.
✓Prenatal perineal massage was associated with fewer postpartum complications compared to control groups.
✓The meta-analysis combined results from multiple studies to provide evidence for the effectiveness of this preventive intervention during pregnancy.

What This Means for You

If you're pregnant and planning a vaginal birth, prenatal perineal massage supported by strong research evidence may help reduce the risk of tearing and postpartum problems, though you should discuss this with your healthcare provider.

What This Means for Practitioners

Prenatal perineal massage represents an evidence-based intervention you can confidently recommend to pregnant clients as part of birth preparation, with clear research support for reducing perineal injury.

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Pregnancy: common questions

What does this study say about pregnancy?

What did this study find?

Prenatal perineal massage was associated with reduced perineal trauma in women undergoing vaginal delivery. Prenatal perineal massage was associated with fewer postpartum complications compared to control groups. The meta-analysis combined results from multiple studies to provide evidence for the effectiveness of this preventive intervention during pregnancy.

How strong is this evidence?

This is a meta-analysis and we rate its evidence strong. It was published in Computational and mathematical methods in medicine, a Q2 journal. This study is indexed here for context; it did not test reflexology itself.