Chiropractic care during pregnancy:
safety and benefits
There are no known contraindications to chiropractic care throughout pregnancy. All chiropractors are trained to work with women who are pregnant. Investing in the fertility and pregnancy wellness of women who are pregnant or trying to conceive is a routine care for most chiropractors.
Chiropractors who have been trained to work with pregnant women may use tables that adjust for a pregnant woman’s body, and they will use techniques that avoid unneeded pressure on the abdomen. A chiropractor who is trained in the needs of women who are pregnant will also provide you with exercises and stretches that are safe to 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:
• Protruding abdomen and increased back curve
• Pelvic changes
• Postural adaptations leading to lower back pain, leg pain, sciatica, poor sleep
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.
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
• Controlling symptoms of nausea
• Reducing the time of labor and delivery
• Relieving back, leg, neck or joint pain
• Preventing a potential cesarean delivery
• Allowing for less time off work and/or an earlier, pain-free return to work.
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.
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 in pregnancy, ask them to find out more about its many benefits. Dr. Thomas is willing to speak to your health care practitioner to help him/her understand the safety and benefit of chiropractic care. 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.
Dr. Thomas requires his pregnant patients to be under the care of an OB/GYN doctor to maximize a woman’s ability to have a healthy and comfortable pregnancy and delivery. Due to the stress in the pelvic joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons with pregnancy and delivery, Dr. Thomas recommends being checked for misalignments/issues post partum soon after delivery, so a woman’s body can get back into normal alignment thereafter.
