title: The psychological effects of aromatherapy-massage in healthy postpartum mothers.
abstract: This study examined the effect of aromatherapy-massage in healthy postpartum mothers. A quasi-experimental between-groups design was used. Mothers who received aromatherapy-massage were compared with a control group who received standard postpartum care. Thirty-six healthy, first-time mothers with vaginal delivery of a full-term, healthy infant participated in this study. Sixteen mothers received a 30-minute aromatherapy-massage on the second postpartum day; 20 mothers were in the control group. All mothers completed the following four standardized questionnaires before and after the intervention: 1) Maternity Blues Scale; 2) State-Trait Anxiety Inventory; 3) Profile of Mood States (POMS); and 4) Feeling toward Baby Scale. In the aromatherapy-massage group, posttreatment scores significantly decreased for the Maternity Blues Scale, the State-Anxiety Inventory, and all but one of the Profile of Mood States subscales. Posttreatment scores in the intervention group significantly increased in Profile of Mood States-Vigor subscale and the Approach Feeling toward Baby subscale. Scores in the intervention group significantly decreased in Conflict Index of Avoidance/Approach Feeling toward Baby subscale. Our results suggest that aromatherapy-massage might be an effective intervention for postpartum mothers to improve physical and mental status and to facilitate mother-infant interaction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongoh, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
authors.forename: Masumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Imura
authors.forename: Hanako
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Misao
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ushijima
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000517:prevention & control; D019341:Aromatherapy / Q000523:psychology*; D002957:Citrus; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D027523:Lavandula; D008405:Massage / Q000523:psychology*; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D009822:Oils, Volatile