At the end of the intervention period, the groups were again similar. Thirteen (57%) participants in the experimental group and 15 (65%) participants in the control group reported suprapubic and lumbar pain, with no significant difference between groups (RR = 0.87,95% Cl 0.54 to 1.38). Therefore, massage did not change the characteristics or the location of the pain in the active phase of labour. High Content Screening The mean duration of labour was longer in the experimental group by 1.1 hr but this was of borderline statistical significance (95% Cl 0.2 to 2.0). The mean time to pain medication was 2.6 hr (SD 1.3) in

the experimental group and 1.9 hr (SD 1.2) in the control group. However, this was not statistically significant, with a mean difference of 0.7 hr

(95% Cl −0.1 to 1.5). The anthropometric measures of the newborns were not significantly different between the groups. All these data are presented in Table 4, with individual patient data presented in Table 3 (on the eAddenda.) PLX-4720 mw The participants in the massage group were more likely to adopt a sitting position during the intervention period than those in the control group (RR = 1.8, 95% Cl 1.1 to 3.0). Path of delivery was unaffected by the intervention, with six Caesarean deliveries in the experimental group and four in the control group (RR = 1.5, 95% Cl 0.5 to 4.6). Around 90% of the newborns in both groups had normal APGAR scores by the first minute after delivery, and all had normal APGAR scores by the fifth minute after delivery. All these

data are presented in Table 5, with individual patient data presented in Table 3 (on the eAddenda.) Regarding satisfaction with the attending physiotherapist, all participants stated that the quality of care received during labour was important. The intervention was rated as excellent by 65% of the experimental group and 70% of the control group. Sixteen participants (70%) in the experimental group and nine (39%) in the control group reported that the intervention they received promoted the relief of pain, stress, and anxiety during the active phase of labour. All participants in the experimental group and 96% in the all control group stated that they would like to receive the same care in future childbirths. None of these differences reached statistical significance. Labour pain is progressive, with rapid alterations of its location and an increase in severity with advancing dilation and intensity of uterine contractions (Melzack et al 1981). In the first stage of labour, pain is located in the lower portion of the abdomen and radiates to the lumbar area, increasing with the intensity of uterine contractions (Mamede et al 2007, Sabatino et al 1996).