The impact of antenatal massage practice on intrapartum massage application and their associations with the use of analgesics during labour : Sub-analysis of a randomised control trial.

Background: Massage during labour is one form of intrapartum non-pharmacological pain relief but it is not known whether the frequency of practicing these massage techniques among couples during the antenatal period could enhance the effectiveness of intrapartum massage. This study was to evaluate the association between compliance of antenatal massage practice with intrapartum application and their impact on the use of analgesics during labour.

Methods: This was a sub-analysis of a childbirth massage programme which was carried out in two public hospitals with total births of around 8000 per year.