The effects of shiatsu on post-term pregnancy

To evaluate the effects of shiatsu techniques, as taught by hospital midwives, on the progress of post-term labours and deliveries, to inform practice.

A pilot audit on the use of shiatsu for post-term pregnancy at St. Michael's Hospital, Bristol, from March to July 2000.

Sixty-six women, who attended a consultant clinic hospital appointment at 40 weeks gestation, were taught the massage techniques by one midwife, who had completed the shiatsu course. Seventy-six comparison women were those who attended similar clinics when the midwife was not on duty.

The audit extracted outcome information from the Stork hospital database including induction, type of delivery, length of labour and analgesia used.

Post-term women who used shiatsu were significantly more likely to labour spontaneously than those who did not (p=0.038). Of those who had used shiatsu, 17% more went into spontaneous labour compared to those who were not taught shiatsu.