Music therapy for pregnancy: A phenomenological inquiry of the experiences of pregnant women engaging in music therapy

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological inquiry was to explore the lived experiences of expectant mothers engaging in music therapy for perinatal mental health and aimed to give voice to the experiences of pregnant women in a therapeutic setting participating in creative exploration through music. Data was collected and analyzed from five adult female participants who had engaged in music therapy during pregnancy. The participants were invited to share their experiences through semi-structured interviews. Four themes emerged through data analysis informed by the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) method (Biggerstaff & Thompson, 2008). These themes included bonding with the unborn child, managing pregnancy related stress, pain management during labor and delivery, and creating partner intimacy. This topic would benefit from further research studying the experiences of pregnant women participating in music therapy for perinatal mental health.