Warning: Massage can be dangerous for pregnant women – Health ministry

Massage can be dangerous for women at different stages of their pregnancy. The warning was issued by the Public Health Ministry after a woman suffered a miscarriage and went into a coma after getting a foot massage in the Chiang Mai province.

“Women who are less than three months into their pregnancy should avoid massage because it may lead to miscarriage,” Dr Khwanchai Visithanon said this week in his capacity as deputy spokesman of the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine.

Dr Khwanchai warned women who are more than six months into their pregnancy to also be cautious about getting a massage.

He added that massage parlours approved by the Health Service Support Department were required to use masseurs with at least 150 hours of training.

This week the family of 25 year old Wirawan Ketkesi issued a public call for help because she was still in a coma. According to the family, Ms Wirawan suffered a seizure while getting a foot massage on January 11.

The masseur tried to resuscitate her before she was rushed to hospital.

At the hospital, doctors discovered that she had suffered a miscarriage. But the patient remains in a coma.

Chiang Mai’s deputy public health chief Waranyu Jamnongprasartporn said masseurs are required to check if their customers are pregnant or have any chronic disease before starting the massage, adding that every massage parlour is required to have a licence to operate.

However, he admitted that it was not possible to check every massage parlour in the province, adding “we have conducted random checks to boost customers’ safety”.

SOURCE: The Nation