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

Background: The reduction of birth complications is of high interest in terms of the physical and mental health of mother and child. Furthermore, passing the calculated birth date comes along with physical 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 effect of OMT on vital signs as well as the actual date of delivery and the need of 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 date of delivery and drug-induced labor were compared between groups. Results: No differences in 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 analysis of the questionnaire. The actual date of birth was significantly earlier in treatment group than control group (p=0.002). No statistically significant differences were ob-served in terms of drug-induced labor induction (p=0.104). Conclusions: In terms of birth complications further studies with higher number of treatments, earlier onset of treatment and/or 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