Massage in Obstetrics and the Prospects of Using the Author’s Method of Vibroacoustic Massage with Singing Bowls During Pregnancy (Review)

During pregnancy, most women experience a number of health problems, e.g. back pain, anxiety, sleep disorders, headaches, etc. At the same time, it is recommended to treat these conditions with minimal medication. Therefore, non-drug methods, such as massage, and vibroacoustic massage with singing bowls in particular, become relevant. However, an opinion exists that during pregnancy massage should be used with caution, especially in the 1st and 3rd trimesters. The purpose of this article is to analyse the advantages of massage and the specifics of its use in pregnant women, as well as to determine the possibility of applying the author’s method of vibroacoustic massage with singing bowls (patent RU2687006C1) during the prenatal period. In this regard, we analysed the works on the benefits of massage and its use in pregnant women. The ScienceDirect, Cochrane Library, eLIBRARY, and PubMed databases were used to search for the following keywords: massage therapy, pregnant women, classical massage, pregnancy, massage, physical therapy modalities, relaxation, pregnancy massage, antenatal massage. As a result, we came to a number of conclusions: 1) healthy women with uncomplicated pregnancy can have massage throughout the gestation period; 2) massage during pregnancy reduces the symptoms of depression and anxiety, improves sleep, relieves leg and back pain, and has a positive effect on the immune function; 3) during the massage, moderate pressure should be applied; 4) women with complicated pregnancy should get massage only after consulting an obstetrician; 5) vibroacoustic massage with singing bowls improves blood circulation, reduces anxiety, and improves emotional state and sleep quality, which makes it a promising massage method during pregnancy; however, further research is required to determine its effectiveness and safety as well as to adjust the procedure’s protocol in order to use it in pregnant women.