Study of the Effectiveness of Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment in Pregnant Women

Pilot Clinical Trial of Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) in Pregnancy

Status

Completed

Phases

Phase 2

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT00298935

Enrollment

146

Registered

2006-03-03

Start date

2003-07-31

Completion date

2006-06-30

Last updated

2013-06-24

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Low Back Pain, Musculoskeletal Diseases, Pregnancy Complications

Keywords

Randomized Controlled Trial, Pregnant Women

Brief summary

The purpose of this study is to determine whether osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT): * decreases pain and improves physical functioning in women during the third trimester of pregnancy * decreases complications during obstetrical delivery * improves quality of life in the post-partum period

Detailed description

Women experience multiple changes in their anatomy and physiology during pregnancy that may cause pain and adversely affect quality of life. Additionally, about ten percent of women will experience signs and symptoms of pre-eclampsia or pre-term labor during their first pregnancy. Preliminary studies of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) have demonstrated a decrease in pain during pregnancy, although the mechanisms responsible for this effect are unclear. Another theory is that osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) may help normalize sympathetic outflow, thereby minimizing pregnancy complications. A recently published retrospective study also suggests that pregnant women receiving osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) may be at lower risk for pre-term delivery and the presence of meconium during delivery.

Interventions

PROCEDUREOsteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT)

Study design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

PARALLEL

Primary purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

FEMALE

Age

18 Years to No maximum

Healthy volunteers

Inclusion criteria

* Third trimester pregnancy

Exclusion criteria

* High risk pregnancy * Previous use of chiropractic manipulation, osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT), physical therapy, or therapeutic ultrasound during the current pregnancy

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Visual analogue scale for pain, Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire, and SF-12 Health Status Survey during third trimester of pregnancy and continuing six weeks post-partum	—

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
Occurrence of premature labor and delivery as well as obstetrical complications during delivery	—

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026