Growing a little human inside your belly is a beautiful and amazing thing, but the process can put a lot of strain and stress on your spine, soft tissues and nervous system.
Chiropractic care has been shown to offer some remarkable benefits to the pregnant woman and her unborn child.
Research has shown that chiropractic care during pregnancy may:
- Reduce back pain
- Decrease pain during labour
- Decrease the need for interventions
and even
- Reduce labour time!
More than half of pregnant women experience significant back or pelvic pain during their pregnancy. Fortunately chiropractic care may help, with one study reporting that a whopping 84% of pregnant patients receiving chiropractic adjustments experienced relief of their back pain. (1)
The effects of chiropractic adjustments on the delivery process has also been studied. One study by Dr. Per Freitag MD, a well-known orthopaedic researcher, found that the need for analgesics or pain-killers during delivery was reduced by half in the pregnant patients who received chiropractic care. (2)
The likelihood of back labour was also found to be significantly less in those receiving spinal manipulative therapy during pregnancy. (1)
Ensuring that a mother's pelvis and nervous system is able to more easily facilitate the delivery of the baby is important to reduce the need for risky interventions.
Reducing the need for pain-killer medication, that may not be ideal for baby's health, is obviously preferred where possible.
Chiropractic care is thought to help the pregnant mother and her baby by:
- reducing the stress and pressure on the spine, muscles and other soft tissues of the body.
- maintaining proper pelvis and spinal alignment and function, which may allow more room and movement of pelvic structures as the baby grows and as it progresses into the birth canal.
- improving the communication between the brain and the body during pregnancy and labour. (Check out the short videos, "The Importance of Keeping Your Spine Moving", and "Spinal Function Impacts Brain Function" to understand how poor spinal movement can interfere with the brain-body connection).
A specific chiropractic analysis and adjustment called The Webster Technique is used by many chiropractors "to reduce interference to the nerve system and balance maternal pelvic muscles and ligaments. This in turn reduces torsion in the uterus, a cause of intra-uterine constraint of the baby and allows for optimal fetal positioning in preparation for birth.” Dr Jeanne Ohm - International Chiropractic Paediatric Association (ICPA)
Use of the Webster technique has shown to be highly successful at relieving intra-uterine constraint and breech presentations. (3)
A comprehensive study by Dr Joan Fallon, found that labour times could also be reduced in those mothers who received chiropractic care throughout their pregnancy. First-time mums averaged a 24% shorter labour, while mothers who had given birth before had a 39% reduction in the average labour time! (4)
As you can see from the research, receiving regular chiropractic care throughout your pregnancy can result in a more healthy, comfortable and pain-free pregnancy, labour and delivery.
At Cherish Chiropractic & Functional Health our practitioners have the experience and training to care for pregnant women safely and effectively.
There are a range of techniques to suit every individual, and we also have special chiropractic tables so that the pregnant client can lie comfortably.
You do not need to be in pain to receive the benefits of chiropractic care. We believe it is better to be proactive when it comes to the health of you and your baby, rather than reactive.
Book online today or feel free to contact us if you have any queries.
References:
(1) Back pain during pregnancy and labor. Diakow PR, et al. Journal of Manipulative and Physiologic Therapeutics, 1991: 14(2): 116-118.
(2) Freitag P. Expert testimony of P. Freitag, M.D., Ph.D., Comparing the results of two neighbouring hospitals, U.S. District Court Northern Illinois Eastern Division, No. 76 C 3777, May 1987.
(3) J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2002 Jul-Aug;25(6): E1-9
(4) Fallon, J. DC. The Effect of Chiropractic Treatment on Pregnancy and Labour: A Comprehensive Study. Proceedings of the World Federation of Chiropractic, 1991:24-31.