• Is chiropractic care during pregnancy safe?
There are no known contraindications to chiropractic care throughout pregnancy. All chiropractors are trained to work with women who are pregnant.
• Changing biomechanics of the body during pregnancy-The biomechanical changes of the spine that a woman’s body goes through during pregnancy can cause certain stressors in the body which can lead to pain or discomfort, explained as follows:
• Potential benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy include:
Maintaining a healthier pregnancy
Controlling symptoms of nausea
Reducing the time of labor and delivery
Relieving back, neck or joint pain
Preventing a potential cesarean delivery
• The International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) recommends women receive chiropractic care throughout pregnancy to establish pelvic balance and optimize the room a baby has for development throughout pregnancy.
With a balanced pelvis, babies have a greater chance of moving into the correct position for birth, and the crisis and worry associated with breech and posterior presentations may be avoided altogether.
Optimal baby positioning at the time of birth also eliminates the potential for dystocia (difficult labor) and, therefore, results in easier and safer deliveries for both the mother and baby.
Are you or someone you know pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant? Research has shown receiving chiropractic care during your pregnancy can be very beneficial. In this article we will discuss many ways chiropractic can positively impact pregnancy.
Pregnancy Back Pain:
Low back pain in pregnancy is extremely common. Approximately 50% of all pregnant women experience back pain during their pregnancy and 50% to 75% of women experience back pain during labor. Chiropractic adjustments can help to relieve this pain.
Pregnancy Ailments:
Other common pregnancy ailments chiropractors treat are headaches; sacroiliac (hip and low back) pain, which starts in the lower back and often radiates down the leg; pubic-bone pain; and rib misplacement. Many of these discomforts are really a combination of the hormonal changes, where the ligaments are relaxing, and biomechanical changes, which result from an increase in weight that isn’t evenly distributed, which causes the joints to become misaligned. By alleviating the source of the misalignment, chiropractors can alleviate the symptoms.
Baby Positioning:
Larry Webster, D.C., Founder of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association, developed a specific chiropractic analysis and adjustment which enables chiropractors to establish balance in the pregnant woman’s pelvis and reduce undue stress to her uterus and supporting ligaments, called the Webster Technique. This balanced state in the pelvis has been clinically shown to allow for optimal fetal positioning. The Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics reported in 2002 an 82% success rate of babies turning vertex when chiropractors used the Webster Technique. Optimal baby positioning at the time of birth also eliminates the potential for dystocia (difficult labor) and, therefore, results in easier and safer deliveries for both the mother and baby.
Is chiropractic care during pregnancy safe?
There are no known contraindications to chiropractic care throughout pregnancy. All chiropractors are trained to work with women who are pregnant.
If you or someone you know are pregnant, please come to the office to get checked out. We love helping women stay healthy and comfortable throughout their pregnancy and deliveries.