Pregnancy and Chiropractic Care
When a woman experiences pain and discomfort during pregnancy, chiropractic care can prove to be invaluable. Chiropractors are holistic physicians who diagnosis and treat misalignments of the body joints. As a woman’s body transforms to provide room for a growing baby, she can experience discomforts. A common complaint of pregnancy is low back and hip pain, which may be addressed with chiropractic care. Chiropractic care during pregnancy increases the possibility of having a vaginal delivery by ensuring that babies are in the head-down position for delivery and helping the body to transform for birth. When a woman seeks chiropractic care during pregnancy at Modern Chiropractic Center in Boise her body may respond well, and she may be relieved of pain and discomfort. Women can feel safe and secure in the knowledge that the Chiropractors at Modern Chiropractic Center are all family oriented and care about all people especially mothers and their precious children.
Low back pain and hip pain are common complaints among pregnant women. Case studies have shown that the occurrence of low back pain (LBP) starting during a pregnancy is between 50% and 80% (1). It has been shown that among women with low back pain of pregnancy, 75% reported no back pain before pregnancy (1). As the fetus grows it will put pressure on all parts of the woman’s body. Hips will widen and open to make room for delivery and the extra baby weight can cause discomfort on the back and hips. Chiropractic care can help to relieve this pain through spinal manipulation when there is a misalignment or subluxation of the musculoskeletal spine. In a study by Dr. Lisi, he says, “Basic science studies have shown that manipulation results in increased joint range of motion, modulated joint kinematics, regional hypoalgesia, and altered muscle tone. Therefore, patients may benefit from increased joint motion and/or decreased joint or muscle pain” (1). When the chiropractors at Modern Chiropractic Center adjust the low back and hip area it relieves pressure on the spinal cord and surrounding nerves. When pressures from the spinal bones are put on the spinal cord it can cause pain, tingling or numbness. Seeking treatment at Modern Chiropractic Center the doctors can correct the curvature of the spine, relieve pressure and you will have relief. It is crucial to note that no adverse effects from chiropractic care during pregnancy occurred in any of the women studied by Dr. Lisi (1).
Heartburn is often noted as a discomfort during pregnancy and being adjusted by a chiropractor can ease this discomfort. A case study found that nearly 80% of all pregnant women have symptoms and complaints of heartburn, and that the discomforts associated with heartburn increase during the duration of pregnancy (2). As a woman’s body changes and grows to allow space for a growing fetus her shifting organs and diaphragm can cause upward pressure on the stomach; pushing stomach acid up into the lower esophagus. Heartburn symptoms during pregnancy can be treated without the use of drugs by eliminating heartburn-causing foods from the diet. When this proves to be not enough many women may turn to drugs. Dr. Caroline Peterson says, “Pharmaceuticals [can] alter the biochemistry of the mother’s body at a time when the fetus’s biochemistry template is being established and therefore could have long-term impact on the fetal epigemone” (2). At Modern Chiropractic Center the doctors encourage healing, starting with the body. Through chiropractic care, this pressure can be released. Peterson states that she reviewed 13 studies about pregnancy-related heartburn and chiropractic. In all 13 studies, chiropractic care improved the symptoms of heartburn with no adverse events noted (2). Treatment of heartburn through chiropractic care has proven to be effective. Chiropractic care is a very important alternative to pharmaceuticals, because it has no side effects. Avoiding drugs whenever possible during pregnancy should always be the goal for the safety of the baby, and the doctors at Modern Chiropractic Center support this.
Pregnancy is a normal, physiological part of a woman’s life. A woman’s body is designed to give birth vaginally, with benefits to the mother and baby. Unfortunately, when the baby presents in a head-up or breech-position, the mother is typically referred for surgery. It is estimated that nearly 3% to 4.6% of single infant pregnancies will result in a breech presentation. Of these breech pregnancies, 86% will be born via cesarean section, resulting in 13% of all cesarean sections in the United States (3). When a woman has a cesarean section she is more likely to have complications as a result of the surgery including uterine rupture. Nearly 87% of uterine ruptures happen in women who have had a previous cesarean section; therefore, avoiding a c-section will decrease the chances of a uterine rupture (4). Chiropractic treatment early in pregnancy may prevent the chances of a baby being in a breech position in late pregnancy.
Chiropractors are doctors of the spine and the nervous system. They treat all types of lifestyles and life changes. Pregnancy is a crucial time for body alignment, and the chiropractors at Modern Chiropractic Center strive for ideal spinal alignment. Seeking the medical advice at Modern Chiropractic Center during pregnancy can prove to have many beneficial effects with little to no risk to the mother or baby. Being adjusted regularly by a chiropractor during pregnancy can eliminate and/or relieve low back and hip pain. Heartburn during pregnancy can be treated without the use of pharmaceutical drugs with care from a chiropractor. While these symptoms can be treated by a chiropractor, there are many more reasons to seek chiropractic care during pregnancy. When a woman seeks chiropractic care during pregnancy from a licensed doctor of chiropractic she will feel relief from skeletal and joint pain, heartburn relief, and will increase her chances of having a normal vaginal delivery. Contact us at Modern Chiropractic Center in Boise for all your pregnancy and health related needs.
- Lisi, AJ. (2006). Chiropractic spinal manipulation for low back pain of pregnancy: A retrospective case series. Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health 51(1), e7-e10 doi: 10.1016/j.jmwh.2005.09.001
- Peterson, C. (2012). A case study of chiropractic management of pregnancy-related heartburn with postulated fetal epigenome implications. EXPLORE 8(5), 304-308 doi:10.1016/i.explore.2012.06.001
- Pistolese, R. (2002). The Webster technique: A chiropractic technique with obstetric implications. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 1-6 doi: 10.1067/mmt.2002.126127
- Zwar, J., Richters, J., Ory, F., de Viries, J., Bloemenkamp, K., Van Roosmalen, J. (2008). Severe maternal morbidity during pregnancy, delivery and puerperium in the Netherlands: a nationwide population-based study of 371,000 pregnancies. An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology doi: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2008.01713.x
