Can Pregnant Women
Receive Chiropractic Care?
Pregnancy
is a beautiful experience, and we all want to provide the best
environment for both mom and baby. The question of whether or not
chiropractic care is safe during pregnancy is frequently raised by
the newly-expectant mother as she plans for a healthy pregnancy.
Chiropractic care during the nine-month time frame is a common
practice, as many moms require professional care for biomechanical
complaints (most notably back pain) or they simply want to feel
“their best.”
A
“normal” pregnancy is defined as “about 40 weeks, ranging
between 37 and 42 weeks from the point of fertilization to delivery.”
It’s the “norm” NOT to know exactly when fertilization happens,
so we typically calculate the expected gestation period from the
point of the woman’s last normal menstrual period. During the first
trimester (the three-month period starting on the first day of the
last menstrual period through the thirteenth week), the fertilized
egg implants into the womb. This period of time is usually
asymptomatic unless morning sickness occurs. Because the mom is often
unaware of being pregnant, medication use and alcohol intake should
be carefully watched FROM THE MOMENT SHE STARTS TRYING TO BECOME
PREGNANT!
During
the second trimester (the fourteenth to the twenty-seventh week),
most women feel GREAT! No more morning sickness, increased energy,
and by now, fetal movements are a pleasured sensation! Ultrasound
during this time will be able to detect any problems, as well as
identify the child’s sex.
The
third trimester starts at the twenty-eighth week and finishes with
the birth of the child. As the baby grows to fill the womb, the mom
usually becomes more uncomfortable, especially in the last two to
three weeks when the contractions begin that are needed to move the
child down into the birth canal in preparation for birth. A vaginal
delivery usually occurs within 24 hours of labor, and if labor does
not occur by week 42, it may be induced by using medications that
purposely initiate labor (such as pitocin).
With
this as a foundation, chiropractic offers the pregnant mom many
benefits. First regarding safety, a 2009 literature review found 33
references on this subject and concluded the results revealed a
favorable outcome regarding the use and safety of chiropractic care
throughout pregnancy. The authors concluded that chiropractic is a
safe and effective means of treating common musculoskeletal
complaints that often affect pregnant women. The use of chiropractic
includes (but may not be limited to): making the pregnant mom feel
more comfortable during her pregnancy, helping to facilitate an
uncomplicated labor and delivery process, and to help control low
back, mid back, and/or neck pain during the nine-month process. They
reported that 50% of all pregnant women experience back pain during
their pregnancy and 50-75% experience back pain during labor. The
study points out that only 21% of pregnant women with back pain
consult their medical physician about it. More than seven out of ten
expectant mothers in a study who sought chiropractic treatment for
back pain benefited from care. There are also special techniques that enable a breech baby to move into a head down position all by themselves. Many times, OB/GYN's and midwives will refer the pregnant
mother to a DC trained in such techniques to help avoid a c-section.
