Music Therapy for Labor Pain and Anxiety

Impact of Music Therapy on Labor Pain and Anxiety: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Tunisian Women

This multicenter randomized controlled trial evaluates the effectiveness of music therapy in reducing pain and anxiety during the latent and active phases of labor in Tunisian women. Participants are randomized to receive either music therapy or standard care. Primary outcomes are pain (VAS) and anxiety (STAI-Y). Secondary outcomes include labor duration, maternal and fetal vital signs, neonatal outcomes, and maternal satisfaction.

This study investigates the impact of music therapy on pain and anxiety management during labor in Tunisian parturients. Given the limited access to pharmacological analgesia in many public maternity units, the trial explores music as a non-pharmacological, low-cost, and patient-centered intervention. Eligible women in labor are randomly assigned to either a music therapy group or a control group receiving standard care. Music is administered during the latent and active phases following established clinical guidelines (slow tempo, non-lyrical, patient-guided selection). The study evaluates changes in pain intensity, anxiety levels, labor progression, maternal-fetal physiological parameters, neonatal outcomes, and maternal satisfaction. Findings aim to inform labor care practices and promote integrative approaches in resource-limited settings.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Married Tunisian women with a singleton, low-risk pregnancy.
• Admitted in the latent phase of spontaneous labor, as diagnosed by a midwife or resident.
• Planned vaginal delivery.
• Parity < 4.
• Gestational age between 37 and 41 weeks of amenorrhea.
• Attended at least 4 prenatal consultations.
• Normal physical and mental health status.
• No known fetal anomalies.
• Estimated fetal weight between 2500-4000 g.
• Cephalic presentation.
• Normal fetal heart rate and uterine contraction tracings.
• Able to read, write, and understand study-related information.
• Provided written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Women who received epidural analgesia during labor.
• Presence of auricular malformations.
• Difficulty in understanding or completing the VAS or STAI-Y assessments.
• Serious medical or psychiatric disorders.
• Multiple gestation or pregnancies requiring immediate intervention.
• Preterm (<37 weeks) or post-term (>41 weeks) pregnancies.
• Premature rupture of membranes.
• Clinical chorioamnionitis or other infections (including HIV).
• History of severe obstetric complications (e.g., cephalopelvic disproportion, intrauterine fetal death )