INTRODUCTION: Despite proven benefits in neonatal outcomes, the role of music therapy (MT) during the antepartum period remains underexplored. The clinical effect of a standardized bedside MT intervention was examined in individuals hospitalized at risk for preterm delivery, including premature rupture of membranes, placenta accreta spectrum, and preeclampsia. The objective was to assess the efficacy of MT in extending the admission-to-delivery latency. METHODS: A single-center, prospective, randomized controlled trial from 2023 to 2025 comparing outcomes in 20 antepartum patients who received MT (n=11) and controls (n=9) receiving standard care. The MT group participated in one to four sessions administered by a board-certified music therapist. Admission-to-delivery latency was log-transformed and modeled as a function of MT session count using a natural spline with knots at sessions 1 and 2, adjusting for maternal age, admitting diagnosis, and gestational age of admission. RESULTS: Univariate analysis revealed that participants receiving two or more MT sessions experienced 15 additional days of latency compared to controls (35.0±13.1 versus 20.0±9.4, P =.021). The spline model showed a significant nonlinear dose–response between MT session count and admission to delivery latency and was statistically superior to a linear term (F (3,12) =5.15, P =.016) and quadratic model (F (1,12) =7.47, P =.018). In this model, two sessions versus none were associated with a 3.1-fold increase in latency (contrast log estimate 1.12, P =.0439). CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS: Among high-risk pregnancies, MT significantly prolonged admission-to-delivery latency in a dose-dependent pattern. These findings support a multicenter trial of MT as a noninvasive intervention to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes in high-risk pregnancies.
Reed et al. (2026) studied this question.