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Effect of music on labor and delivery in nulliparous singleton pregnancies: a randomized clinical trial

  • Maternal-Fetal Medicine
  • Published:
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Women’s experience of pain during labor varies greatly, and pain control is a major concern for obstetricians. Several methods have been studied for pain management for women in labor, including drug and non-drug interventions.

Objective

To test the hypothesis that in nulliparous women with singleton pregnancies at term, listening to music would reduce the pain level during labor.

Methods

Parallel group non-blinded randomized clinical trial conducted at a single center in Italy. Nulliparous women in spontaneous labor with singleton pregnancies and vertex presentation admitted in labor and delivery room between 37 0/7 and 42 0/7 weeks of gestation for active phase of labor were eligible, and were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive music during labor or no music during labor. Music in labor was defined listening to music from the randomization until the delivery of the baby. The primary endpoint was the pain level during the active phase of labor, recorded using the visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain, ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (unbearable pain). The effect of music use during labor on each outcome was quantified as the mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence interval (CI).

Results

During the study period, 30 women agree to take part in the study, underwent randomization, and were enrolled and followed up. 15 women were randomized in the music group, and 15 in the control group. No patients were lost to follow up for the primary outcome. Pain level during the active phase of labor was scored 8.8 ± 0.9 in the music group, and 9.8 ± 0.3 in the control group (MD − 1.00 point, 95% CI − 1.48 to − 0.52; P < 0.01). Music during labor and delivery was also associated with a decreased pain at 1 h postpartum (MD − 2.40 points, 95% CI − 4.30 to − 0.50), and decreased anxiety level during active phase of labor (MD − 19.90 points, 95% CI − 38.72 to − 1.08), second stage of labor (MD − 49.40 points, 95% CI − 69.44 to − 29.36), and at 1 h postpartum (MD − 27.00 points, 95% CI − 47.37 to − 6.63).

Conclusion

In nulliparous women with singleton pregnancies at term, listening to music reduces the pain level, and the anxiety level during labor.

Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03779386.

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Funding

No financial support was received for this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, School of Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy

    Annarita Buglione, Gabriele Saccone, Marta Mas, Antonio Raffone, Lavinia Di Meglio, Letizia di Meglio, Paolo Toscano, Rosanna Zapparella, Marzia Duval, Fulvio Zullo & Mariavittoria Locci

  2. Pathology Unit, Department of Woman and Child Health, Agostino Gemelli University Polyclinic, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy

    Antonio Travaglino

  3. Gynecology and Obstetrics Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, School of Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, Via Sergio Pansini, 5, 80131, Naples, Italy

    Antonio Raffone

Authors
  1. Annarita Buglione
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  2. Gabriele Saccone
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  3. Marta Mas
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  4. Antonio Raffone
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  5. Lavinia Di Meglio
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  6. Letizia di Meglio
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  7. Paolo Toscano
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  8. Antonio Travaglino
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  9. Rosanna Zapparella
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  10. Marzia Duval
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  11. Fulvio Zullo
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  12. Mariavittoria Locci
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Contributions

AB: study conception, study design, patients’ enrollment, data collection. GS: study conception, study design, methods supervision, data analysis, manuscript preparation, whole study supervision. MM: study conception, study design, patients’ enrollment, data collection. AR: study conception, study design, methods supervision, data analysis, manuscript preparation, whole study supervision. LDM: study conception, study design, patients’ enrollment, data collection. LeDM: study conception, study design, patients’ enrollment, data collection. PT: study conception, study design, patients’ enrollment, data collection. AT: study design, methods supervision, data analysis, manuscript preparation. RZ: study conception, methods supervision, whole study supervision. MD: study conception, methods supervision, whole study supervision. FZ: study design, methods supervision, whole study supervision. ML: study conception, methods supervision, whole study supervision.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Antonio Raffone.

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Conflict of interest

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

This study was approved by the local IRB of the University of Naples Federico II, number 287/18.

Informed consent

All participants in the trial provided written informed consent.

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Buglione, A., Saccone, G., Mas, M. et al. Effect of music on labor and delivery in nulliparous singleton pregnancies: a randomized clinical trial. Arch Gynecol Obstet 301, 693–698 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-020-05475-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-020-05475-9

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