Chiropractic care and pregnancy

Pregnancy is a beautiful time, full of amazing changes. Naturally, it is one of the most important times to focus on spinal health because the body also goes through an incredible amount of stress with these changes. The major biomechanical changes during pregnancy include shifting weight-bearing and movement patterns, muscle/soft-tissue imbalances, and postural stressors (read our ‘The Biomechanics of Pregnancy’ blog for more info on these changes). There is also an incredible amount of energy devoted to growing another human being!

It is important to maintain healthy spine and nerve system function to ensure optimal development of both mother and baby. We get asked all the time, can I get checked when I’m pregnant? And the simple answer is ABSOLUTELY - because chiropractic care encourages people to achieve and maintain excellent wellness through the care for the spine and nerve system. Chiropractic care has been shown to relieve lower back and pelvic pain in pregnant women with those symptoms by up to 85%.

At The Chiro, we check the spine and nerve system to make sure it is functioning as well as it possibly can. By maintaining proper pelvic balance, chiropractic care can help ensure everything is ready for the delivery of the baby. Research has shown a 24% reduction in labour time for first time mothers under chiropractic care, and a 39% reduction for experienced mothers. Other research showed that pregnant women who had chiropractic adjustments had more relaxed pelvic floor muscles at rest, which indicated they had increased function, control and relaxation of their pelvic floor muscles. This is essential for ease of delivery.

All of our chiropractors use gentle and effective approaches when caring for our pregnant women, and thanks to pregnancy pillows they can even lay on their stomach during their visits! We also use specialist techniques that deal with the unique biomechanical changes that occur during pregnancy, and will always tailor our care to suit the specific needs of our pregnant practice members.

It makes sense to keep yourself as healthy as possible during your pregnancy. If you are interested in this, then do not hesitate to get in touch! We even offer complimentary 10-minute conversation visits in our practices if there are any further questions you have.

References:

Borggren, C. (2007). Pregnancy and chiropractic: a narrative review of the literature. Journal Of Chiropractic Medicine, 6(2), 70-74. doi: 10.1016/j.jcme.2007.04.004

Diakow, P., Gadsby, T., Gadsby, J., Gleddie, J., Leprich, D., & Scales, A. (1991). Back pain during pregnancy and labor. Journal Of Manipulative Physiology Therapy, 14(2), 116-118. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1826921

Fallon, J. (1991).  The effects of chiropractic treatment on pregnancy and labor: a comprehensive study. Proceedings of the world chiropractic congress. 24-31.

Haavik, H., Murphy, B., & Kruger, J. (2016). Effect of Spinal Manipulation on Pelvic Floor Functional Changes in Pregnant and Nonpregnant Women: A Preliminary Study. Journal Of Manipulative And Physiological Therapeutics, 39(5), 339-347. doi: 10.1016/j.jmpt.2016.04.004

Lisi, A. (2006). Chiropractic Spinal Manipulation for Low Back Pain of Pregnancy: A Retrospective Case Series. Journal Of Midwifery & Women's Health, 51(1), e7-e10. doi: 10.1016/j.jmwh.2005.09.001