Mother voices : an exploratory study on the experiences of music therapy for pregnant women in distress from the Cape Flats

Abstract

The period of pregnancy is of utmost importance in human development due to the plasticity of the baby’s brain during this time. Reducing child mortality and improving maternal health are part of the South African government’s Millennium Development Goals, yet South Africa continues to have some of the worst maternal and child health rankings globally. Music therapy has been used with pregnant women as a non-pharmacological treatment method, though as of yet no studies on this topic have been conducted in South Africa. The objective of this study, carried out at the Hanover Park Midwife Obstetric Unit (MOU) with five pregnant women, was to discover their experiences with music therapy and to determine the techniques they found most useful. Data in the form of a questionnaire, participant observation through video recording, a final interview and focus group, and rating scales were collected during and after seven 45-minute sessions. Through thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) five overarching themes were identified. The women experienced music therapy as a space of personal exploration; as a space to connect with others; as a space to develop connection to the baby; and as a regenerative space. Lastly, the affordances of the therapeutic relationship and the preferred techniques were also analyzed. The study demonstrates the potential for music therapy to be a beneficial treatment during pregnancy for women from at-risk populations.