Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of music therapy on patient-reported anxiety and pain during intrauterine insemination (IUI) procedures. DESIGN: Randomized, controlled trial (NCT05492331). SUBJECTS: Patients aged 18 to 45 years undergoing IUI. INTERVENTION: Participants were randomly assigned 1:1 to either the music intervention group or nonmusic group. Those randomized to the music therapy group selected their music preference. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Differences in mean anxiety and pain between music and nonmusic groups before, during, and after IUI procedure, as assessed by visual analogue scale and Wong Baker pain scale, respectively. RESULTS: 100 patients met inclusion criteria and were randomly assigned to listen to music (n = 50) or no music (n = 50) during their IUI. Baseline factors were similar between groups. There was no difference in patient-reported anxiety or pain scores before or during the IUI procedure. Participants in the music intervention group reported lower post-procedure anxiety scores (12.0, 95% confidence interval [8.3, 15.8] vs. 18.6, 95% confidence interval [13.6, 23.5]) compared with controls and expressed a high degree of satisfaction (92%) with this intervention. Participants in both groups expressed a desire for music therapy in future IUI procedures (88% vs. 68% in the music therapy vs no music groups, respectively). CONCLUSION: Patients who listened to music during IUI reported lower anxiety scores at the conclusion of the procedure and had high satisfaction rates. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT05492331 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05492331).