Is Chiropractic Care Safe During Pregnancy?
Chiropractic care is about the health of the entire person without the use of drugs or surgery. It involves the adjustment misaligned joints in the body, particularly those of the spinal cord, to relieve spinal nerve constriction to promote good health. During pregnancy there are some significant endocrinological and physiological changes that can result due to the changes the body experiences. Chiropractic care can help alleviate those issues, and make delivery easier for the expectant mother.
The central nervous system is responsible for all the controls in your body. It adapts to the changes that your body experiences while you are pregnant as long as all the vertebrae are properly aligned. When they are misaligned, a condition known as a subluxation occurs. This prevents the signals from the brain from reaching the parts of the body they were intended for, which if not adjusted, can lead to significant health risks.
There are no contraindications to the use of chiropractic care during pregnancy, and all chiropractors are educated to know how to best assist pregnant women to maintain their health, and that of their unborn child. Chiropractors use special techniques when adjusting the back to correct subluxations that avoid placing unnecessary pressure on the abdomen, and some even use tables that are capable of being adjusted specifically for a pregnant woman’s body.
Pregnancy can lead to the development of increased curvature of the spinal cord, pelvic changes, and also postural changes. Any of these changes can cause unnecessary pain. Chiropractic care is able to restore natural pelvic alignment and balance, which can make delivery much easier by allowing the baby to get into the best possible position for birth. A misaligned pelvis poses a health risk to the unborn child as well, as it may reduce the amount of space available for the growing baby.
These are the most obvious benefits for pregnant women, but there are more. Chiropractic care can help to control the symptoms of nausea, provide relief for neck, back, or joint pain, prevent the need for cesarean birth, and promote a healthier pregnancy. Some additional symptoms that pregnant women commonly experience that chiropractic care can help to alleviate are: shortness of breath, vomiting, morning sickness, swollen ankles, high blood pressure, hormonal changes, pelvic pain, and back pain.
While there are some that consider it normal for a baby to present breech prior to the third trimester, Chiropractic care is able to help avoid the occurrence of it. It was reported in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics that chiropractic care was able to lead to 82% of babies turning by using a chiropractic technique called the Webster Technique. Optimal positioning at birth eliminates the risk for difficult labor, resulting in safer deliveries for both mother and child.
Visit Dr. Allen Maryott at Rocky Hill Chiropractic if you are pregnant. He is experienced in helping pregnant women just like you to maintain their health, the health of their pregnancy, and to promote an easier birth. Chiropractic care during pregnancy is not only safe, it’s the best way of ensuring that everything goes as nature intended it.