Transformative Touch
Integrating Massage Therapy into Maternal Health: Historical Insights & Modern Realities
This NCBTMB-certified free course explores the historical and present-day landscape of maternal healthcare in the United States, tracing the evolution of midwifery and prenatal care while highlighting the essential role massage therapy can play in improving birth outcomes.
Virtual Course
As the introductory course in the Transformative Touch curriculum, Integrating Massage Therapy into Maternal Health: Historical Insights and Modern Realities explores the evolution of maternal healthcare in the United States. Participants will examine maternal mortality trends, health disparities, and the complex factors that influence outcomes during pregnancy and postpartum.
This foundational course encourages critical thinking about the role of massage therapists within the broader maternal health landscape and highlights opportunities to provide compassionate, informed care. By the end of the course, participants will have a deeper understanding of today’s maternal health challenges and a stronger appreciation for how their work can contribute to improved outcomes for families.
Overview
To provide safe and equitable care, massage therapists must understand both the history and the current realities of maternal health. This course traces the evolution of prenatal care, from ancient midwifery practices to modern obstetrics, while examining today’s urgent maternal health challenges, including rising mortality rates and persistent racial disparities. Students will explore the systemic and physiological factors influencing maternal outcomes, reflect on their own role within this continuum, and consider how massage therapy can support clients across varying levels of risk. The goal is to deepen understanding, foster critical thinking, and empower future practitioners to advocate for compassionate, informed, and inclusive care.
Learning Outcomes
- Describe the historical evolution of maternal care, including the role of midwifery and massage across cultures and time periods.
- Identify current disparities, key data, and trends reflected in maternal health outcomes in the U.S., particularly among BIPOC populations.
- Discuss the role of massage therapy in supporting maternal well-being, especially in underserved and high-risk populations.
- Apply specific, actionable strategies for massage therapists to participate in advocacy efforts that promote inclusive, trauma-informed, and equitable care.
Modules
Module 1: Introduction
This introductory module welcomes participants to the course and provides an overview of the curriculum. Participants will also learn how course assessments are structured and what to expect throughout their learning journey.
Module 2: A Historical Lens: Midwifery, Massage, & Maternal Health Through Time
This module explores the historical roots of maternal healthcare and the evolving role of massage therapy in supporting pregnant and postpartum individuals. Participants will examine the transition from traditional midwifery to modern obstetrics, review the evidence-based benefits of prenatal and postpartum massage, and gain a broader understanding of how historical and contemporary practices continue to shape maternal health today.
Module 3: A Sobering Reality: Maternal Health in the United States
This module examines the current state of maternal health in the United States, including rising maternal mortality rates and persistent racial and ethnic disparities in outcomes. Participants will explore the factors that contribute to high-risk pregnancies and analyze public health data to better understand the challenges facing pregnant and postpartum individuals today.
Module 4: Systemic Barriers & Real-World Challenges
This module explores the systemic factors that contribute to maternal health disparities, including healthcare inequities, socioeconomic barriers, and provider bias. Through reflective discussion and real-world case studies, participants will examine how these challenges impact maternal outcomes and consider ways to foster more compassionate, equitable care within their own practice.
Module 5: The Role of Massage Therapy in Maternal Care
This module explores the role of massage therapy within the broader maternal healthcare continuum. Participants will review the evidence-based benefits of prenatal and postpartum massage and the importance of collaboration and referral within interdisciplinary care teams.
Module 6: Advocacy & Professional Responsibility
This module encourages participants to consider their role in advancing maternal health beyond the treatment room. Through discussion of advocacy and community engagement, participants will explore practical ways to promote awareness and support more equitable outcomes for pregnant and postpartum individuals.
Module 7: Conclusion & Wrap-Up
This concluding module reviews the key concepts explored throughout the course and reinforces the important role massage therapists can play in supporting maternal health.
Course Information
This free introductory course is designed for massage therapists seeking a deeper understanding of maternal health and serves as the first step in the Transformative Touch curriculum.
$0
Details
Beginner
1 hr
1.5 CE
CE4027727
Prerequisites
None