Clinical applications of prenatal music-based interventions: a narrative review of implications for black pregnant women

Background Preterm birth (PTB) affects over 13 million infants globally each year and disproportionately impacts Black or African American women, with stress identified as a key contributing factor. Despite this, few studies have examined culturally tailored, non-invasive interventions to reduce stress among pregnant Black women. Aim This narrative review examines music-based interventions that address stress during pregnancy, with a particular focus on pregnant Black or African American women. We will assess the implementation and efficacy of existing interventions to inform future potential research and intervention development. Methods A narrative review of studies published between 2015 and 2025 was conducted across four databases and using the Scale for the Assessment of Narrative Review Articles (SANRA). Due to limited reporting of socio-demographic data, the scope was expanded to include studies of pregnant women more broadly. Results 20 studies were included in this review, demonstrating substantial variability in design, sample size, intervention method, implemented across diverse cultural and clinical contexts. Most studies examined maternal anxiety, stress, well-being, attachment, and physiological outcomes. Six studies met high reporting quality per Robb et al.’s 2025 recommendations for Reporting Guidelines inclusive of mechanistic factors and generally demonstrated reductions in maternal anxiety and stress, improvements in mental well-being, sleep quality, prenatal attachment, and favorable physiological or satisfaction-related outcomes, though outcomes varied by intervention and outcome measurements. Conclusion Music-based interventions generally demonstrated reduction in stress and improvement of maternal outcomes. Our review highlights the efficacy of interventions including music-based interventions; however, few studies adequately address racial disparities or the disproportionate burden of PTB experienced by Black women. This review revealed a significant lack of music intervention studies that explicitly focused on or report outcomes for pregnant Black women, highlighting a critical gap in the literature. Future research should focus on developing culturally responsive music therapy interventions to address these disparities and further support maternal health outcomes.