The effect of slow-stroke back message on the anxiety levels of Iranianwomen on the first postpartum day

Abstract EN

Background: Anxiety disorder is common during the postpartum period.

Back massage relaxation techniques are one of the most important nonpharmacological interventions to prevent and control postpartum-related anxiety.

Objectives: To determine the effectiveness of slow-stroke back massage on the anxiety levels of primiparous mothers in the first days after delivery.

Materials and Methods: This single-blind controlled clinical trial consisted of 100 primiparous mothers with normal deliveries.

The mothers were randomly allocated to interventional (n = 50) or control (n = 50) groups using binary blocks.

Both groups were followed up just before, immediately after, and the morning after the intervention.

Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire and Spielberger’s state anxiety inventory (STAI) questionnaire.

Results: The mean age of the mothers was 22 years.

There were no significant between-group differences in age (P = 0.333), education (P = 0.427), and medication during labor and the postpartum period (P = 0.412).

There was no statistically significant difference between the mean anxiety scores of the experimental (6.66 ± 35.48) and control groups (9.05 ± 37.42) before the intervention (P = 0.268).

Immediately after the massage and the next morning, there was a significant between-group difference in the anxiety scores (P < 0.001).

Conclusions: The findings demonstrate that slow-stroke back massage is a simple, inexpensive, noninvasive, and effective method to reduce the anxiety levels of primiparous women during the first postpartum day