Caesarean delivery is extremely common in some parts of the world, but it can involve extreme levels of stress (as can typical childbirth). Therefore, researchers are interested in ways to reduce the stress associated with childbirth, and with caesarean deliveries in particular. For example, one study examined the effects of a music intervention on reducing stress associated with caesarean delivery (Hepp et al., 2018). This article will briefly review that study.
Methods
The population in the study consisted of 304 pregnant women “with an indication for primary caesarean” in Germany. The participants were randomly assigned into a music group and a control group in a 1:1 ratio. Women in the music group chose their preferred music genre from lounge, classical, jazz, and meditation music.
Women in the control group experienced a standard caesarean delivery. Meanwhile, women in the music group had music playing in the operating theatre from the moment they entered to the completion of the delivery. For each genre a woman might have chosen, there were 15 tracks of music.
The following measures were taken upon admission, at the time of the caesarean delivery, and two hours after the completion of the delivery (in addition, the STAI-trait was taken seven to 14 days before the scheduled caesarean delivery):
- The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and a visual analogue scale depicting anxiety (VAS-A) were used to measure subjective anxiety.
- Saliva samples were taken to assess the levels of cortisol and alpha-amylase as objective measures of stress.
In addition, blood pressure and heart rate were taken throughout the procedure.
Results
The following results were found:
- The time and duration of the procedure did not differ significantly between the two groups.
- There were no differences in subjective anxiety or objective stress between the two groups at admission.
- According to the STAI-trait, women in the music group showed significantly less subjective anxiety upon completion of the delivery, but there was no difference two hours after the delivery.
- According to the VAS-A, women in the music group showed significantly less subjective anxiety both upon completion of the delivery and two hours after the delivery.
- Women in the music group showed a significantly smaller cortisol increase during the procedure than women in the control group, but there was no difference two hours after the delivery.
- There were no differences between the two groups in alpha-amylase levels.
- At the beginning of the procedure (after admission, at the time of the first incision), women in the music group had significantly lower systolic blood pressure and heart rate than women in the control group. There were no differences by the time the procedure had completed.
- Finally, most women reported beneficial effects of the music intervention.
Ultimately, the music intervention was beneficial in reducing stress and anxiety during caesarean delivery.
Wrapping up
These results show that a simple music intervention can have positive effects during caesarean delivery. Even though these effects had disappeared two hours after completion of the delivery, it is still notable that they made the delivery itself easier. Future research should continue to examine ways that caesarean delivery and typical childbirth can be made less stressful for people giving birth.
References
Hepp, P., Hagenbeck, C., Gilles, J., Wolf, O.T., Goertz, W., Janni, W., Balan, P., Fleisch, M., Fehm, T., Schaal, N.K. (2018). Effects of Music Intervention During Caesarean Delivery on Anxiety and Stress of the Mother a controlled, randomised study. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 18(1), 435. doi: 10.1186/s12884-018-2069-6.
