Thursday, February 23, 2023

The Benefits of Chiropractic Care during Pregnancy


 Chiropractic care refers to diagnosing, treating, and preventing mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, particularly the spinal column, done by hand. A licensed chiropractor typically performs manual adjustments to misaligned joints of the body, reducing spinal stress and promoting health throughout the body.


Chiropractic can provide a safe, drug-free strategy for pain reduction during pregnancy. While women should check with their healthcare provider to confirm, chiropractic has no contraindications for pregnant women. Trained chiropractors might use special tools like a table to adjust the woman’s spine without placing excess pressure on her abdomen. Further, the chiropractor will often recommend exercises and stretches she can perform at home.


During pregnancy, the body releases relaxin, a hormone that relaxes joints to ease labor and delivery. Sometimes the ligaments become so loose that they are structurally unstable, and the woman experiences pain. Additionally, the extra weight of pregnancy-stretched abdominal muscles and an accentuated low back curve can all contribute to spinal misalignment during pregnancy.


Many women experience relief from nausea with regular chiropractic care, particularly during the first trimester. This is likely because adjustments improve the overall function of the spinal cord and spinal nerves, which are part of the nervous system.


The pelvis changes during pregnancy. A misaligned pelvis can reduce the space for a baby to grow and move. This intrauterine constraint can also make it difficult for the baby to move into an optimal position for delivery. A woman who wants a natural, non-invasive birth might benefit from a chiropractic adjustment, as the ideal fetal position reduces the necessity of interventions such as cesarean delivery.


In addition to reducing the risk of a cesarean, chiropractic may reduce labor times by as much as 25 to 30 percent. Chiropractors attribute this to optimal alignment in the pelvic region, which creates more space and allows the baby to move through the birth canal more easily.


In some cases, a baby is in a breech position before delivery, meaning the baby is lying bottom-first or feet-first rather than head-first. While this is normal until the third trimester, a breech presentation after 37 weeks may require intervention. Roughly 4 percent of all pregnancies involve a breech.


The Webster Technique is a specific chiropractic analysis and adjustment that can help create balance in the pelvis and relieve pressure on the uterus and surrounding organs. This has been clinically proven to assist with optimal fetal positioning. According to a 2002 Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics report, the Webster Technique had an 82 percent success rate of helping babies turn from a breech to vertex (head down) presentation.


The International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) recommends regular chiropractic care for women since it can establish pelvic balance, achieve optimal fetal positioning, and potentially reduce the risk of breech and posterior presentations. This may result in safer, easier deliveries for the baby and mother.


The benefits of chiropractic care do not end at birth. Postnatal chiropractic can assist with many everyday aches associated with breastfeeding, such as neck and middle back pain associated with the sustained nursing position and looking down at the baby.

The Benefits of Chiropractic Care during Pregnancy

 Chiropractic care refers to diagnosing, treating, and preventing mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, particularly the spina...