MTF Awards Research Grant to Study Prenatal Massage

Posted:Wednesday, February 18, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Massage Therapy Foundation Awards
$300,000 Research Grant to the University of Denver

Evanston, Ill. – February 18, 2026 – The Massage Therapy Foundation (MTF) announces the award of a research grant to University of Denver, Denver, Colo. The grant will support a three-year study entitled, “Prenatal Massage: A Complementary Approach for Maternal Health and Mental Health,” led by Primary Investigator Galena Rhoades, PhD.

The study will be conducted through a partnership between the University of Denver and Thriving Families, a Denver-based nonprofit organization serving perinatal women and birthing people from under-resourced and minority backgrounds. The project will evaluate the impact of incorporating prenatal massage into MotherWise, an evidence‑based, trauma‑informed, and culturally responsive maternal wellness program. Participants will be divided into two groups: one will receive the standard MotherWise program, while the second will receive the same program along with six 20‑minute prenatal massage sessions provided by licensed massage therapists specially trained in prenatal care. Outcomes will be compared to determine whether massage therapy provides additional benefits to the program.

Specifically, investigators aim to (1) assess potential benefits including decreasing rates of postpartum depression (primary outcome) and improving scores for anxiety, pain, sleep, stress, preterm birth, and infant birth weight, and (2) examine the implementation of prenatal massage to inform recommendations for scalability to other similar community-based contexts. For Aim 2, qualitative data from focus groups and interviews as well as quantitative data from validated measures will assess implementation processes (e.g., barriers and facilitators) and outcomes (e.g., feasibility, acceptability, appropriateness, and adoption).

“Evidence suggests that prenatal massage confers meaningful health and mental health benefits, and we need rigorous research about what it looks like when prenatal massage is integrated into real-world, community programs. This grant allows us to partner with Thriving Families to evaluate whether adding brief, prenatal massage sessions to MotherWise can reduce postpartum depression and inform a scalable model for equitable maternal care,” said study Primary Investigator Galena K. Rhoades, PhD.

“We are very excited to support this study, which has the potential to increase the evidence supporting the significant benefits of prenatal massage, and provide guidance for putting it into practice in community settings. The findings will be an important step in reducing disparities in maternal health and mental health outcomes for marginalized and underserved communities,” said Kim Kane-Santos, MTF President.

The American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), with the support of Massage Envy, is funding this groundbreaking research project. The study is part of AMTA’s broader commitment of $2.5 million over the next five years to support innovative massage therapy research. These efforts advance scientific understanding in priority areas such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), pediatric sleep, trauma‑informed care, and the integration of massage therapy into health care settings.

“Investing in research like this is essential to advancing our profession and demonstrating the far-reaching benefits of massage therapy. We’re eager to see how this study informs new pathways for supporting maternal health in underserved and marginalized communities while improving lives across the country,” said Cindy E. Farrar, AMTA National President.

About the Massage Therapy Foundation

The Massage Therapy Foundation is a 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to supporting scientific research, education, and community service within the massage therapy profession. The Foundation publishes an open-access, peer-reviewed scientific journal and provides educational resources for massage therapists, educators, and students. MTF fosters international scientific collaboration through grants, resources, training, and services.

About the American Massage Therapy Association

The American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) is a non-profit and the largest professional association serving massage therapists, massage students, and massage schools. AMTA works to advance the profession through ethics and standards, the promotion of fair and consistent licensing of massage therapists in all states, and public education on the benefits of massage.

For more information about this grant and the groundbreaking research, please contact: Teri Mayo, Executive Director, 847.905.1520 tmayo@massagetherapyfoundation.org