Alleviating distress during antepartum hospitalization: a randomized controlled trial of music and recreation therapy.

Background: Pregnant women who are placed on hospitalized bed rest experience increased antepartum-related distress. We sought to examine the efficacy of a single session music or recreation therapy intervention to reduce antepartum-related distress among women with high-risk pregnancies experiencing extended antepartum hospitalizations.

Methods: In a randomized, single-blinded study, participants (n = 80) received 1 hour of music or recreation therapy or were placed in an attention-control group.