Massage, physical contact and emotional support should be encouraged during pregnancy and childbirth, according to new research.

Researchers at the Potomac Massage Training Institute, USA reviewed the benefits from touch and one-to-one physical support during labour and childbirth. Support was provided by either a husband/partner, nurses, nurse-midwives, and doulas (trained labour attendants).

Researchers suggest that women supported by doulas or midwives benefit by experiencing shorter labours and lower rates of epidural anesthesia and caesarean section deliveries. Interestingly, the babies also seem to benefit from the support given to their mothers. The data indicates that a considerably smaller number of newborns experience fetal distress or are admitted to neonatal intensive care units when their mothers are given support during labour.

This evidence clearly indicates that women whose husbands or partners massaged them during labour experienced shorter labours. And, although one-to-one nursing support resulted in no significant obstetric improvements, antenatal perineal massage was found to reduce the rates of tears, caesarean section, and instrumental deliveries.

The evidence suggests that women in labour and their unborn children benefit greatly from having a trusted partner, assistant or competent nursing staff who is able to provide emotional and physical support with massage during the stages of labour.

The report concludes that physical and emotional participation by a loving partner should be encouraged during childbirth.