Benefits of Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy

During pregnancy a woman’s body goes through the most incredible changes to help raise and deliver another human being into our world. During those 9 a woman’s body will change from the size of her belly to the speed at which her heart beats, how much blood her body carries, and how the muscles and joints move prepare for childbirth. The various hormonal and physical changes, as well as the added physical strain of carrying the weight of the baby often increase the stress on the spine and joints. This stress pulls the spine and joints out of alignment and can also result in pelvic misalignment, which can lead to pain and discomfort.

An increasing number of practitioners and obstetricians are realizing the benefits of manual therapy for their pregnant patients, and inclusion of chiropractic care during pregnancy is becoming more widely accepted in the medical community. Our experienced chiropractors at Health Bound can help alleviate your pain and discomforts during pregnancy. Here are the 5 ways in which seeing a Chiropractor can benefit you during pregnancy.

Restoring Pelvic Balance

Pregnant women often have issues with their pelvic balance. When the pelvis becomes misaligned it can restrict the amount of room that the developing baby has. Chiropractors can adjust the pelvis to prevent this issue, also known as intrauterine constraint. This can decrease the likelihood of having breech babies or needing a Caesarean delivery.

Relieving Back Pain

Many women have issues with back pain during pregnancy due to the extra weight they must carry in the front of their body. The expanding uterus, increasing amniotic fluid, and the growing fetus pull the sacral base anterior, causing an anterior tilt of the pelvis and flexion of the hips. This orientation of the pelvis causes the muscles and joins to function incorrectly resulting in inevitable back pain. Seeing a chiropractor regularly will help correct this issue and relieve back pain. According to a study by Shaw chiropractic care during pregnancy relieved pain in 75% of pregnant women.

Improved Delivery

Literature within the osteopathic profession also includes evidence of improved outcomes in labor and delivery for women who receive prenatal osteopathic manipulative treatment. Other studies show that the occurrence of meconium-stained amniotic fluid, preterm delivery, use of forceps, and cesarean delivery was reduced in women who received prenatal osteopathic manipulative treatment.

Reducing Labor and Delivery Time

Women who receive regular chiropractic care find that they are better prepared to handle the childbirth process. Many women who receive chiropractic care during pregnancy have shorter labor and delivery times. According to a study conducted in Joan M. Fallon at Yeshiva University women who received chiropractic care during their pregnancy and labour noticed 24%-39% decrease in labour time as compared to national averages.

References:

1. Shaw G. When to adjust: chiropractic and pregnancy. J Am Chiropr Assoc. 2003;40(11):8–16.

2. King H.H., Tettambel M.A., Lockwood M.D., Johnson K.H., Arsenault D.A., Quist R. Osteopathic manipulative treatment in prenatal care: a retrospective case control design study. J Am Osteopath Assoc. 2003;103(12):577–582.

3. Borggren, C. L. (2007). Pregnancy and chiropractic: a narrative review of the literature. Journal of chiropractic medicine, 6(2), 70-74.

4. Rosecrans, T. How “Baby” Changes the Body: See the Power of Pregnancy. Health Line. Retrieved from: http://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/body-changes-infographic

5. Bartol K.M. Back to basics: considerations in adjusting women. Top Clin Chiropr. 1997;4(3):1–10.