Gentle touch in pregnancy may ease labor, small study hints

This study tested whether osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) — a gentle, hands-on therapy — given during the last three months of pregnancy could make labor shorter, reduce the need for pain medicine, and lower the chance of complications like tears or C-sections. The trial planned to include pregnant people aged 18-34, but it was stopped early with only 5 participants. Because it was so small, the results are not reliable enough to draw firm conclusions.