SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) Studies show women who receive regular massage during pregnancy have lower rates of premature birth, fewer problems during pregnancy, and few complications after delivery. But if the massage therapy is not done in the right way, experts say it can lead to early labor and even miscarriages.
Karen Salas is a certified pregnancy massage therapist. She is trying to educate mothers-to-be and other massage therapists about the importance of being trained before beginning massage therapy on a pregnant woman. “Many women use the same cushion set up to receive massage in the face down position; and they like it because it feels comfortable. What they may not be aware of is it’s not safe for the baby.”
Salas says instead, a pregnant woman should be on her side during massage, with her baby supported by pillows. She says pressure applied during the massage, in the face down position, increases pressure on the uterus and could have devastating consequences. “If she’s got some sort of underlying condition that she’s not aware of, or even the doctor might not be aware of at this point, that kind of pressure might exacerbate a condition like that.” She says there are also areas of the body that should be avoided during pregnancy; pressure points in the ankles that could trigger early labor, and the inner leg from top to bottom, which says are prone to blood clots. “If I apply more than light pressure to this area I am putting her at risk.”
Salas says in order to specialize in massage therapy for pregnant women, additional training is required. “There are a lot of massage therapists practicing right now with good intentions but not necessarily the education and training that they need for the best and safest massage for pregnant women.
There are nine therapists trained in prenatal massage along the Wasatch Front. They belong to the organization Utah Prenatal Massage. To find out more about prenatal massage you can visit their website at
www.utahprenatalmassage.com.
