Massage may melt labor pain and stress, new study hints
NCT ID NCT07501598
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study will test whether sacral massage (a massage on the lower back) can help reduce pain, depression, stress, and anxiety during labor. About 193 first-time mothers with a single, healthy baby will be randomly assigned to receive the massage or standard care. Researchers will measure pain using a simple scale and emotional well-being with a questionnaire.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- sacral massage
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a simple, drug-free way to ease pain and emotional distress during labor for first-time mothers.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial that hasn't started recruiting yet. The results may not apply to all women, and the effect may be modest.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 193 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Apr 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Aug 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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15 to 45 years
- Sex
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Female participants only
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * 15-45-year-old primiparous pregnant women * singleton pregnancies between 38-42 weeks * pregnant women whose labor began spontaneously * pregnant women with a healthy fetus * pregnant women without any complications that may cause dystocia during labor * pregnant women for whom analgesia and anesthesia were not used during the first phase of labor * pregnant women who volunteered to participate in the research and who could establish verbal communication. Exclusion Criteria: * pregnant women with high-risk pregnancies * caesarean section indication * pregnant women with a chronic illnesses
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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