Chiropractic Care for Pregnancy
Safety and Benefits
Chiropractic care involves maintaining the health of the spine, discs, nerves, and bone geometry without the use of medication or surgical procedures. It includes both the art and scientific aspects of realigning joints in the body, specifically in the spine, which helps to decrease stress on spinal nerves and ultimately improve overall health.
Is chiropractic care during pregnancy safe?
There are no known reasons to avoid chiropractic care during pregnancy. Every chiropractor has the necessary license to provide care to pregnant women. For most chiropractors, it is common practice to invest in the fertility and pregnancy health of women who are pregnant or attempting to conceive.
Some chiropractors take a specific interest in prenatal and postnatal care and seek additional training. Below are professional designations for chiropractors who have taken advanced steps in the field of infertility and pregnancy wellness:
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DACCP – A Diplomate with ICPA, indicating the most advanced level of training achieved.
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CACCP – Certified with the ICPA reflecting advanced training.
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Member of ICPA reflecting special interest.
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Webster Certified – trained to work specifically with pelvic balance in pregnancy.
Chiropractors who are specially trained to treat pregnant women may utilize tables that can be adjusted to accommodate the body of a pregnant woman, and they will utilize methods that prevent unnecessary pressure on the abdomen.
A chiropractor with expertise in caring for pregnant women will also recommend safe exercises and stretches for use during pregnancy.
Why should I have chiropractic care during pregnancy?
During pregnancy, there are several physiological and endocrinological changes that occur in preparation for creating the environment for the developing baby.
The following changes can result in a misaligned spine or joints:
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Protruding abdomen and increased back curve
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Pelvic changes
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Postural adaptations
Establishing pelvic balance and alignment is another reason to obtain chiropractic care during pregnancy.
When the pelvis is misaligned it may reduce the amount of room available for the developing baby. This restriction is called intrauterine constraint.
A misaligned pelvis may also make it difficult for the baby to get into the best possible position for delivery.
This can affect the mother’s ability to have a natural, non-invasive birth. Breech and posterior positions can interfere with the natural ease of labor and lead to interventions such as C-sections.
The nervous system is the master communication system to all the body systems including the reproductive system. Keeping the spine aligned helps the entire body work more effectively.
What are the benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy?
Chiropractic care during pregnancy can provide benefits for women who are pregnant.
Potential benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy include:
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Maintaining a healthier pregnancy
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Reducing the time of labor and delivery
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Relieving back, neck or joint pain
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Preventing a potential cesarean delivery
What about chiropractic care and breech deliveries?
The late Larry Webster, D.C., Founder of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association(ICPA), 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.
This balanced state in the pelvis has been clinically shown to allow for optimal fetal positioning. The technique is known as the Webster Technique.
It is considered normal by some for a baby to present breech until the third trimester. Most birth practitioners are not concerned with breech presentations until a patient is 37 weeks along. Approximately 4% of all pregnancies result in a breech presentation.
The Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics reported in the July/August 2002 issue an 82% success rate of babies turning vertex when doctors of chiropractic used the Webster Technique.
Further, the results from the study suggest it may be beneficial to perform the Webster Technique, as soon as the 8th month of pregnancy, when a woman has a breech presentation.
Currently, 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.
Chiropractors & Pregnancy: Talk to Your Healthcare Provider
As more women are seeking the benefits of chiropractic care throughout pregnancy, more healthcare providers are seeking trained doctors of chiropractic in their communities to refer their pregnant patients to.
Discuss these options with your healthcare provider. If they are not yet familiar with chiropractic care in pregnancy, ask them to find out more about its many benefits.
Most importantly, seek options that support your body’s natural abilities to function and find a team of providers who are respectful of your choices.
Want to Know More?
Compiled using information from the following sources:
1. International Chiropractic Pediatric Association
2. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, Volume 25, July/August 2002.