Pregnancy & Birth

Medical Resonance Therapy Music^® – Scientific Studies & Clinical Observations

Pregnancy & Birth

Reducing Pain during Labor in Women with an Initial Inactivity of Uterine Contractility

Already normal labor is accompanied by physical and emotional STRESS as well as great pain. This is even more so the case when complications arise as in the investigated women here who showed an initial inactivity of the uterus. Seen from the angle of the hormone state the organism is in a state of emergency: to counteract the experience of great pain and severe STRESS for the mother, the organism produces 8-10 times more opioids as normal, which – next to other effects – function as pain inhibitors.

To find out in how far Medical Resonance Therapy Music^® has a harmonizing effect on pain and anxiety regulating neuroendocrine functions important opioids were chosen for investigation: beta-endorphin, corticotropin (ACTH) and cortisol – hormones which show extremely high levels in blood during labor.


Under investigation were three groups:

1. one group (11 women) was treated with relaxing Medical Reso­nance Therapy Music^®


2. a control group A (11 women) listened to music of Mozart – Symphony No. 28 and Coronation Mass


3. a control group B (11 women) did not listen to any music.

Medical Resonance Therapy Music^® Group

The treatment with the Medical Reso­nance Therapy Music^® resulted in a significant change of the hormonal situation: the beta-endorphin value dropped by 6.05 units and also ACTH showed a tendency to decrease – the hyperproductive hormone system was calmed and a more balanced state established.

Especially noteworthy is the following situation: although the level of pain inhibiting hormones decreased the women did not experience a rise in pain but on the contrary reported of a clear decrease of pain. This suggests that the reduction of pain under the treatment with Medical Reso­nance Therapy Music^® may be based on a strong relaxing effect on spasmodic conditions within the muscular system during labor.


Control Group A with Mozart’s Music

The women in this group also reported of a strong reduction of pain through listening to the music. And here too a significant change was found in the hormonal situation, but in the opposite direction: the already hyperactive hormone system got even more exaggerated and produced even more of the pain inhibiting hormones. This increase could explain the reduced experience of pain in this group.


Control Group B

Here no significant changes were observed, only small variations.


Comments to Cortisol

A significant change of cortisol was neither found in the “Mozart group” nor in the Medical Reso­nance Therapy Music^® group. To get a reliable picture of the changes in cortisol level probably a longer than 30 minute treat­ment interval is necessary, since its duration is comparable with half the life span of the hormone in circulation.