Can a Pregnant Woman Get a Chiropractic Care?

Chiropractor adjusting woman's spine
Chiropractor adjusting woman’s spine

Chiropractic care is the health maintenance of the neuromusculoskeletal system without the use of drugs or surgery. It focuses on correcting abnormalities in the the spinal column and disks and related nerves through manipulative adjustments in these structures.

The chiropractic profession holds that general health and well being is a function of a healthy nervous system and chiropractic care can help in many areas of human health care, including in women pregnancy.

Not only chiropractic professionals promote chiropractic care for pregnant women. Even the American Pregnancy Society, a non-profit organization that promotes pregnancy wellness and increases the awareness of pregnancy needs, is a proponent of chiropractic care for pregnant women.

Chiropractic Care for Pregnant Women

Chiropractic care can be applied to pregnant women throughout their pregnancy and there are no known contraindications to it. The Doctors of Chiropractic are well trained in the care of pregnant women. One of their major interests is fertility and pregnancy wellness of women and some take advanced training in prenatal and postnatal care.

Chiropractors who are trained to work with pregnant women may have special tables suited for the pregnant woman’s body.  They also apply special techniques to avoid unnecessary stress on her abdomen.

Additionally, chiropractors who are trained in the needs of pregnant women may provide appropriate exercises for her, depending on the stage of her pregnancy period. Chiropractors may also advise her on proper nutrition, another focus area of chiropractic practitioners.

Benefits of Chiropractic Care

Physiological and endocrinological changes happen to a woman’s body to prepare it for creating an environment for developing baby. This includes pelvic changes, protruding abdomen, increased back curve, and postural adaptations.  With these changes are the increased risks of misaligned spine or joints and decreased pelvic balance or misaligned pelvis.

A misaligned pelvis can bring serious implications. It may restrict the amount of room available for the developing baby and may cause the mother’s inability to have normal delivery.

Chiropractic professionals will use a special method to bring about balance in the pelvis of the expectant mother. This method, called Webster technique, developed by the late Larry Webster, D.C., founder of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA), has been proven to provide balanced state in the pelvis and facilitate optimal fetal positioning.

Fifty percent of all pregnant women are most likely to suffer from back pain at some point during their pregnancies. Chiropractic adjustments have been proven safe and effective in providing pregnant women relief from low back pain. No drugs and surgical procedures are introduced in the course of the chiropractic treatment.

Chiropractic care is helpful even during the post-natal period. It can treat joint problems that result from the loosening up of the ligaments during the pregnancy period.  Joint problem should ideally be treated before the ligaments tighten up back again to the pre-pregnancy state.

With more and more people being educated on the benefits of chiropractic care, it is gradually being adopted and embraced by patients with different healthcare needs, including pregnant women.