We investigated the current situation of medical aromatherapy in the field of obstetrics. Questionnaires were sent to 229 obstetric facilities in Tōhoku region of Japan. The questionnaire focused on the current state of aromatherapy usage, the way aromatherapy is performed, essential oils used, requirement to use aromatherapy, factors that inhibit aromatherapy usage, etc. Among the 96 facilities, 1 midwife nurse and 1 aromatherapist responded. Medical aromatherapy is currently in use in 30.2% of the contacted facilities, and lavender oil was preferred over the other essential oils. We also learned that aromatherapists may perform massage and prepare aromatic baths with the intent of alleviating anxiety and tension and easing edema. Our findings also revealed that 41.8% of the nurse-midwives at facilities that are not currently employing aromatherapy hope to do so in the near future. The responders also noted a high preference for at-home use. Finally, our study suggests that implementation of medical aromatherapy may face issues, including the need to accommodate preferences for specific aromas and the availability of trained practitioners. Insufficient verification of therapeutic efficacy is also a significant concern. Overall, our study provides important information on the implementation of medical aromatherapy in a major region of Japan and highlights the factors that have thus far limited full acceptance of obstetrics. Further studies aimed at identifying convenient strategies for implementation and the means to collect and to share information on distinct therapeutic modalities helpful for promoting wider acceptance.
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