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Effect of Olive Oil Back Massage on Selected Fetomaternal Parameters and Maternal Satisfaction Among Primigravid Women During the First Stage of Labour: A Quasi-Experimental Study

This quasi-experimental study demonstrates that olive oil back massage significantly improves uterine contraction characteristics and yields high maternal satisfaction among primigravid women during the first stage of labour, while maintaining stable fetal and maternal physiological parameters.

Original authors: Mekala Moorthy

Published 2026-07-07

📖 4 min read☕ Coffee break read

CC BY 4.0

Original authors: Mekala Moorthy

Original paper licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ✨ This is an AI-generated explanation of the paper below. It is not written or endorsed by the authors. For technical accuracy, refer to the original paper. Read full disclaimer

Imagine childbirth as a long, demanding journey up a steep mountain. For first-time mothers (primigravid women), this climb can feel especially steep and scary. The path is paved with physical pain and emotional worry, and the "engine" of the journey—the uterus—needs to work in perfect rhythm to get the baby to the top.

This study is like a test drive for a new, simple tool to help mothers on this climb: a back massage using olive oil.

Here is what the researchers did and what they found, broken down into everyday terms:

The Experiment: Two Groups, One Path

The researchers gathered 60 first-time mothers at a hospital in India. They split them into two teams:

The Massage Team (Experimental Group): These women received a gentle back massage with olive oil while they were in the early stages of labor. Think of this as giving the mother's muscles a "smooth glide" to help her relax.
The Standard Care Team (Control Group): These women received the usual hospital care without the special massage.

The researchers wanted to see if the olive oil massage acted like a "turbo button" for labor or if it just made the mother feel better without changing the mechanics.

The Results: What Changed and What Stayed the Same

1. The Engine (Uterine Contractions) Got Stronger
In the world of labor, the uterus is the engine. It needs to squeeze (contract) for a certain amount of time and with a certain rhythm to push the baby down.

What happened: The mothers who got the olive oil massage had contractions that lasted longer and happened with a more effective rhythm compared to the group that didn't get the massage.
The Analogy: Imagine two people trying to push a heavy cart. The person who got the massage was able to push with longer, more sustained bursts of energy, making the cart move more efficiently. The massage seemed to help the "engine" run smoother and stronger.

2. The Safety Gauges (Heart Rate and Blood Pressure) Stayed Steady
The researchers kept a close eye on the "dashboard" of both the mother and the baby.

The Baby's Heart: The baby's heartbeat remained normal and steady in both groups. The massage didn't confuse or stress the baby.
The Mother's Blood Pressure: The mother's blood pressure didn't spike or drop dangerously. It stayed calm, just like it would without the massage.
The Takeaway: The massage was like a gentle breeze; it helped the journey without causing a storm or a mechanical failure. It was safe for both the driver (mother) and the passenger (baby).

3. The Driver's Mood (Maternal Satisfaction)
How did the mothers feel about the massage?

The Verdict: Two-thirds of the women said they were "adequately satisfied," and the other third said they were "moderately satisfied."
The Analogy: None of the women hated it. It was like getting a warm, comforting hug during a stressful time. Everyone felt it was a nice addition to their experience, even if they didn't all feel it was a miracle cure.

What the Researchers Didn't Say

It is important to stick to what the paper actually claims:

They did not claim this massage shortens the total time of labor (though the contractions were more effective).
They did not claim this works for women who have given birth before (the study only looked at first-time moms).
They did not measure the baby's health after birth (like Apgar scores) or how long the mother breastfed afterward.
They did not say this should replace doctors or medicine; they called it a "complementary" tool, meaning it works alongside standard care.

The Bottom Line

This study suggests that giving a first-time mother a back massage with olive oil during early labor is like adding a little bit of lubrication to a machine. It didn't break anything, it didn't scare the baby, and it actually helped the mother's uterus work a bit more effectively. Plus, the mothers really liked it. It's a simple, cheap, and safe way to make the climb up the mountain a little more comfortable.

Technical Summary: Effect of Olive Oil Back Massage on Selected Fetomaternal Parameters and Maternal Satisfaction

Problem Statement
Labour is a physiological process characterized by significant physical and emotional stress, particularly during the first stage, which involves progressive uterine activity and increasing maternal discomfort. While non-pharmacological interventions are increasingly valued for promoting positive childbirth experiences and respecting maternity care, evidence regarding the specific impact of olive oil back massage on fetomaternal physiological parameters remains limited. There is a need to determine if this simple, inexpensive, and non-invasive intervention can influence labour progress and maternal comfort without compromising maternal or fetal stability.

Methodology
The study employed a quantitative, quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design.

Setting and Population: The research was conducted at the labour room of Kasturba Memorial Hospital in Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, India. The target population consisted of 60 primigravid women admitted during the first stage of labour.
Sampling: Participants were selected via non-probability purposive sampling. Inclusion criteria required singleton pregnancies, cephalic presentation, and the ability to understand Tamil or English. Exclusion criteria included high-risk pregnancies, obstetric complications requiring emergency intervention, or contraindications to massage.
Groups: The 60 participants were divided into an experimental group ( $n=30$ ) and a control group ( $n=30$ ).
Intervention: The experimental group received olive oil back massage administered with gentle rhythmic strokes over the lower back during the first stage of labour. The control group received routine intrapartum care without massage.
Outcome Measures: Selected fetomaternal parameters were assessed before and after the intervention: fetal heart rate (FHR), uterine contraction duration, uterine contraction frequency, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). Maternal satisfaction was assessed in the experimental group using a structured scale.
Analysis: Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation) and inferential statistics (paired t-tests for within-group comparisons and independent t-tests for between-group comparisons), with statistical significance set at $p < 0.05$ .

Key Results

Uterine Contractions: The experimental group demonstrated a statistically significant increase in uterine contraction duration compared to the control group. Post-test mean duration was $63.00 \pm 8.70$ seconds for the experimental group versus $57.50 \pm 7.82$ seconds for the control group ( $t=7.422, p < 0.05$ ). Significant differences were also observed in uterine contraction frequency between the two groups ( $t=4.963, p < 0.05$ ).
Physiological Stability: No statistically significant differences were found between the groups regarding fetal heart rate, systolic blood pressure, or diastolic blood pressure. Within both groups, these parameters remained within normal physiological limits, indicating that the intervention did not adversely affect maternal or fetal cardiovascular status.
Maternal Satisfaction: Among the experimental group, 66.7% of participants reported being "adequately satisfied" and 33.3% reported being "moderately satisfied" with the olive oil back massage. No participants expressed dissatisfaction.

Significance and Claims
The paper concludes that olive oil back massage is a safe and effective complementary nursing intervention for primigravid women during the first stage of labour. The authors claim that the intervention is associated with favourable uterine contraction characteristics—specifically increased duration and adjusted frequency—while maintaining maternal and fetal physiological stability.

The study highlights that the intervention is well-accepted by mothers, as evidenced by high satisfaction rates, and suggests that olive oil back massage can be integrated into routine maternity care as a cost-effective, non-invasive method to support labour progress and enhance maternal comfort. The authors emphasize that the intervention supports normal physiological labour without the risks associated with pharmacological pain management.

Study Limitations
The authors acknowledge several limitations, including the single-site setting, small sample size, use of non-probability sampling, and the quasi-experimental design rather than a randomized controlled trial. Additionally, uterine contractions were assessed via abdominal palpation rather than electronic monitoring, and neonatal outcomes (e.g., Apgar scores) were not evaluated. The findings are specific to primigravid women and may not be generalizable to multiparous women.

The Experiment: Two Groups, One Path

The Results: What Changed and What Stayed the Same

What the Researchers Didn't Say

The Bottom Line

Technical Summary: Effect of Olive Oil Back Massage on Selected Fetomaternal Parameters and Maternal Satisfaction

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