Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy

Chiropractic care during pregnancy reduces the length of time a woman spends in labor, reduces breech positions, and helps in delivering your baby naturally. Chiropractic care is health maintenance of your spine, discs, related nerves, and muscles without the use of drugs or surgery. Chiropractic care is the art and science of adjusting misaligned joints of the body, especially of the spine, which reduces the stress put on spinal nerves and therefore promotes health throughout the body.

Chiropractic care can significantly reduce the time spent in labor!

Chiropractic care during pregnancy has been shown to significantly reduce the length of time a woman labors. Adjustments result in easier pregnancy, significantly decreased mean labor time, and assists new mothers back to prepartum health. First time moms averaged a 24 percent shorter labor, while mothers who have already given birth experienced a 39 percent reduction in the average labor length, compared to controls (Fallon, 1991). In addition, 84% of women report relief of back pain during pregnancy with Chiropractic care. Chiropractic adjustments during pregnancy can also reduce the likelihood of experiencing back labor (Diakow, 1991). Regular chiropractic adjustments can safely continue up until the time of birth (Penna, 1989).

Why should I have chiropractic care during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, there are several physiological and hormonal changes that occur in preparation for creating the environment for the developing baby. The following changes could result in a misaligned spine or joints:

• Pelvic alterations  • Postural adaptations
• Ligament laxity and muscle weaknesses
• Protruding abdomen and increased low back curve

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 causing intrauterine constraint. When the pelvis is misaligned it often makes it difficult for the baby to get into a normal position for delivery. This abnormal position can affect the mother’s ability to have a natural, non-invasive birth. Breech and posterior positions 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:

• Maintaining a healthier pregnancy  • Relieving back, neck or joint pain
• Improve balance and alignment in your spine and pelvis
• Controlling symptoms of nausea  • Reducing the time of labor and delivery
• Prevent a potential cesarean delivery (C-Section)

Can chiropractic care help with 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. The Chiropractors at Mountain View Pain center can not only help relieve back pain, but can also make sure your baby is in the optimal position for natural birth.

The Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics reported in the July/August 2002 issue an 82% success rate of babies turning when doctors of chiropractic used the Webster Technique. Further, the results from the study suggest that it may be beneficial to perform the Webster Technique as soon as the mother finds out she’s in a breech presentation.

Currently, the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) recommends that women receive chiropractic care which can help improve balance and the alignment in your spine and pelvis. This can help your baby assume an optimal birthing position, optimize the room a baby has for development, and reduce the risk of having a breech baby. Regular chiropractic care will provide a more comfortable pregnancy and delivery for both mother and baby. It stimulates the nervous system to enable proper functioning of your reproductive organs, thus supporting the needs of your baby throughout pregnancy and during delivery.

The chiropractors here at Mountain View Pain Center are trained in the needs of women who are pregnant and can provide you with exercises and stretches that are safe to use during pregnancy. Many women seek chiropractic care to relieve neck or back pain that can result from weight gain and altered biomechanics during pregnancy, but even if you’re not in pain, you can benefit from visiting a chiropractor.

Talk to Your Health Care Provider:

As more women are seeking the benefits of chiropractic care throughout pregnancy, more health care providers are seeking trained doctors of chiropractic in their communities to refer their pregnant patients to. Discuss these options with your health care provider. If they are not yet familiar with chiropractic care during pregnancy, ask them to find out more about its many benefits.

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