Verena Wulff1, Philip Hepp2,3, Oliver T Wolf4, Percy Balan5, Carsten Hagenbeck5, Tanja Fehm5, Nora K Schaal6. 1. Department of Experimental Psychology, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany. verena.wulff@hhu.de. 2. Clinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Clinic, Augsburg, Germany. 3. Clinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics, HELIOS University Clinic, University Witten/Herdecke, Wuppertal, Germany. 4. Department of Cognitive Psychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-University, Bochum, Germany. 5. Clinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany. 6. Department of Experimental Psychology, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Stress and impaired mother-infant bonding during pregnancy can lead to adverse effects for the expectant mother and the unborn child. The present study investigates whether a prenatal music and singing intervention can improve maternal well-being as well as mother-infant bonding. METHODS: A total of 172 pregnant women took part in this prospective, randomised, three-armed (music, singing or control group) study. Depressive symptoms, self-efficacy, maternal well-being and mother-infant bonding were assessed with visual analogue scales and questionnaires before the intervention phase (30th week of gestation) and afterwards (36th week of gestation). Additionally, immediate changes regarding experienced stress and mood from before until after the music and singing interventions were explored with questionnaires as well as saliva samples (for cortisol, alpha-amylase and oxytocin determination). RESULTS: Regarding immediate effects, both interventions showed positive effects on the emotional state, stress (cortisol) and bonding (oxytocin). Additionally, the singing group showed a larger reduction in cortisol and a larger improvement in valence than the music group. Looking at more prolonged effects, significant effects on general self-efficacy and perceived closeness to the unborn child (measured with a visual analogue scale) were found. No significant effects were revealed for the mother-infant bonding questionnaire and for depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: In the present study, promising effects of music and in particular singing on maternal well-being and perceived closeness during pregnancy appeared. Prenatal music and singing interventions could be an easy to implement and effective addition to improve mood and well-being of the expectant mother and support mother-infant bonding. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: DRKS00012822, date of registration: 17.10.2017.
RCT Entities:
PURPOSE:Stress and impaired mother-infant bonding during pregnancy can lead to adverse effects for the expectant mother and the unborn child. The present study investigates whether a prenatal music and singing intervention can improve maternal well-being as well as mother-infant bonding. METHODS: A total of 172 pregnant women took part in this prospective, randomised, three-armed (music, singing or control group) study. Depressive symptoms, self-efficacy, maternal well-being and mother-infant bonding were assessed with visual analogue scales and questionnaires before the intervention phase (30th week of gestation) and afterwards (36th week of gestation). Additionally, immediate changes regarding experienced stress and mood from before until after the music and singing interventions were explored with questionnaires as well as saliva samples (for cortisol, alpha-amylase and oxytocin determination). RESULTS: Regarding immediate effects, both interventions showed positive effects on the emotional state, stress (cortisol) and bonding (oxytocin). Additionally, the singing group showed a larger reduction in cortisol and a larger improvement in valence than the music group. Looking at more prolonged effects, significant effects on general self-efficacy and perceived closeness to the unborn child (measured with a visual analogue scale) were found. No significant effects were revealed for the mother-infant bonding questionnaire and for depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: In the present study, promising effects of music and in particular singing on maternal well-being and perceived closeness during pregnancy appeared. Prenatal music and singing interventions could be an easy to implement and effective addition to improve mood and well-being of the expectant mother and support mother-infant bonding. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: DRKS00012822, date of registration: 17.10.2017.
Authors: Trynke R de Jong; Rohit Menon; Anna Bludau; Thomas Grund; Verena Biermeier; Stefanie M Klampfl; Benjamin Jurek; Oliver J Bosch; Juliane Hellhammer; Inga D Neumann Journal: Psychoneuroendocrinology Date: 2015-09-15 Impact factor: 4.905
Authors: Philip Hepp; Carsten Hagenbeck; Julius Gilles; Oliver T Wolf; Wolfram Goertz; Wolfgang Janni; Percy Balan; Markus Fleisch; Tanja Fehm; Nora K Schaal Journal: BMC Pregnancy Childbirth Date: 2018-11-03 Impact factor: 3.007