Music for Labor Experience

Overseen By Sophia Struzziero, Medical Student

Age: 18+

Sex: Female

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Tufts Medical Center

Must not be taking: Anxiolytics

Disqualifiers: Impaired hearing, Severe psychiatric disorder, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 2

106 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores whether listening to music can reduce anxiety and pain for people in labor. Researchers aim to determine if music enhances the labor experience. Participants will listen to music or no music for 10 minutes and then report their feelings about anxiety, pain, and satisfaction. It suits those who are pregnant, in labor or scheduled for induction, and not taking daily anxiety medication. As an unphased trial, this study provides a unique opportunity to contribute to understanding non-medical interventions for improving labor experiences.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications, but if you are taking anxiolytic medication daily, you cannot participate.

What prior data suggests that music use is safe for parturients in labor and delivery?

Studies have shown that music therapy can safely and effectively reduce pain and anxiety during childbirth. Research suggests that listening to music might lessen the intensity of labor pain and help lower anxiety levels. As a non-invasive and inexpensive option, it does not involve surgery or medication.

For example, one study found that music therapy helped reduce labor pain. Another study reported that listening to music not only lessened pain but also lowered the risk of some negative outcomes, such as bleeding after childbirth. These findings suggest that music therapy is generally well-tolerated and lacks serious side effects.

Overall, using music during labor appears safe based on current research and could help make the childbirth experience more comfortable. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about using music during labor because it offers a non-invasive and drug-free way to enhance the birthing experience. Unlike traditional pain management options like epidurals or medication, music can provide emotional comfort and potentially reduce stress and anxiety without side effects. This method taps into the brain's natural response to music, which can trigger the release of endorphins—the body's feel-good hormones—helping to alleviate pain and improve overall well-being during labor.

What evidence suggests that music might be an effective treatment for anxiety and pain during labor?

Research has shown that music therapy can greatly reduce pain and anxiety during labor. A review of several studies found that music therapy lowered pain levels at different stages of labor. Other research indicated that listening to music during childbirth reduced the risk of complications like heavy bleeding after birth. Music also eased anxiety and improved the overall childbirth experience. In this trial, participants in the Music Group will listen to music for 10 minutes to evaluate its effectiveness in managing discomfort and stress during labor. Strong evidence supports music as a helpful tool for these purposes. ^{1 2 3 4 6}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for pregnant women admitted to labor and delivery who are interested in the potential effects of music on their anxiety, pain levels, and overall satisfaction with care. Specific eligibility criteria have not been provided.

Inclusion Criteria

Laboring parturients or those scheduled for an induction of labor

Able to provide informed consent

My health is fair to severe but not life-threatening.

Exclusion Criteria

Intrauterine fetal demise

Severe psychiatric disorder

I take anxiety medication every day.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1 week

Intervention

Participants listen to music or no music for a 10-minute duration in the labor and delivery unit

10 minutes

1 visit (in-person)

Data Collection

Data on anxiety, pain levels, and patient satisfaction are collected at multiple timepoints

1 hour

1 visit (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for any changes in anxiety, pain levels, and satisfaction post-intervention

1 hour

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Music

Trial Overview The study is testing whether listening to music can reduce anxiety and pain or increase patient satisfaction during labor. Participants will either listen to music or not for 10 minutes, then report their feelings and have some medical data collected.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Music Group Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Subjects randomized to this arm will listen to music for a 10 minute duration.

Group II: Control Group Active Control 1 Intervention

Subjects randomized to this arm will not listen to music for a 10 minute duration.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Tufts Medical Center

Lead Sponsor

Trials

264

Recruited

264,000+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12065334/

Sounds of comfort: the impact of music therapy on labor pain ... This meta-analysis suggests that music therapy is associated with a significant reduction in labor pain intensity during various stages of labor ...

2. eurjmedres.biomedcentral.com eurjmedres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40001-025-02713-1

Effects of training prior to music therapy-assisted childbirth on ... During MTACB, the intervention group experienced less labor pain and had lower risk of negative outcomes, such as less postpartum bleeding, ...

3. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0266613820300012

The role and outcomes of music listening for women in ... Music listening has a significant role to play for women in childbirth. This non-pharmacological intervention can reduce pain and anxiety.

4. tandfonline.com tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0167482X.2023.2291635

The role and outcomes of music therapy during pregnancy The main finding of this study was music therapy can make active influence on relieving the delivery pain and anxiety, improving the sleep quality and increase ...

5. frontiersin.org frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1429999/full

Effect of music therapy on anxiety in full-term pregnant ... At the first stage of labor, pregnant women in the music group experienced dramatically reduced score of pain in active phase (6.39 ± 1.00 vs.

6. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05149677

The Effect of Music Therapy on Labour Pain, Anxiety, and ... Music therapy has been shown to be an effective, inexpensive, safe and non-invasive intervention for patients undergoing many non-obstetric ...