Investing in the well-being of fertility and pregnancy for women who are already pregnant, or those who are trying to conceive is a routine care for most chiropractors.
The potential benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy include:
- Maintaining a healthy pregnancy
- Controlling the symptoms of nausea
- Reduction of labor and delivery time
- Relieving back, neck, or joint pain
- Preventing a possible cesarean delivery
Chiropractic care for a safe pregnancy
Chiropractors who have been trained to work with pregnant women can use stretchers that fit the body of a pregnant woman and use techniques that avoid unnecessary pressure on the abdomen. A chiropractor also provides them with exercises and stretches safe to do during pregnancy. There are some risks of chiropractic care but they are overall rare.
During pregnancy, there are several physiological and endocrine changes that occur in the preparation of the environment suitable for the developing baby. The following changes could lead to a misaligned spine or create complications in the joints:
- Curve in outgoing abdomen and increase of the curve of the back
- Changes in the pelvis
- Postural adaptations
Establishing balance and alignment of the pelvis is one more reason to get chiropractic care during pregnancy. When the pelvis is misaligned, the space available for the developing baby can be reduced. This restriction is called intrauterine restriction. A misaligned pelvis may also make it difficult for the baby to get into the proper position for the time of delivery. This can affect the mother’s ability to have a natural, noninvasive delivery. The breech position can interfere with the natural ease of delivery and lead to interventions such as caesarean section.
The nervous system is the master communication system that communicates with all body systems including the reproductive system. Keeping the spine aligned helps the whole body to work more effectively.
What about chiropractic care and deliveries?
There is a technique that allows chiropractors to establish balance in the pelvis of the pregnant woman, and reduce stress unnecessary to your uterus and supporting ligaments. This state of equilibrium in the pelvis has been shown clinically to allow optimal fetal positioning. The technique is known as the Webster technique.
The Journal of Handling and Physiological Therapeutics reported in the July / August 2002 issue of an 82% success rate of a baby turns when chiropractic doctors use the Webster technique. In addition, the results of the study suggest that it may be beneficial to perform the Webster technique, before the eighth month of pregnancy when a woman has a breech presentation.
Women who receive chiropractic care throughout pregnancy establish pelvic balance and optimize the space that a baby has for development. With a balanced pelvis, babies are more likely to move into the correct position for delivery, and the crisis and worry associated with the breech presentation and subsequent presentations can be completely avoided. The optimal positioning of the baby at the time of birth also eliminates the possibility of dystocia (difficult delivery) and therefore, easier and safer deliveries for both the mother and the baby.
Talk to your family doctor
As more women look for the benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy, more family physicians are looking for doctors trained in chiropractic care in their communities to refer their pregnant patients. If you are not yet familiar with chiropractic care during pregnancy, go to the chiropractor to let you know about their many benefits. The most important thing is to look for options that use the body’s natural capabilities to function and find a team of professionals who are respectful of it.
