Dr. Steve Prentice - Dec 01st, 2010
One of the primary and more obvious reasons why expectant mothers might utilize chiropractic care is to help with any kind of back, neck or pelvic pain during pregnancy. Since chiropractic care does not utilize any drugs or invasive procedures, it is a wise approach to dealing with pain and discomfort in a way that is safe for the baby.
Pain and discomfort aside, there are other reasons why pregnant women should be under chiropractic care while they are pregnant:
1. It balances the pelvis which allows for maximum natural movement.
2. It reduces torsion in the uterus by removing tension in the ligaments that support the uterus. This is in turn reduces the presence of intrauterine constraint.
3. It reduces interference to the nervous system which is required for proper function of the mother’s body.
4. It decreases the potential for intervention during delivery and allows for a more comfortable birth.
When I work with pregnant patients I have two primary goals. First, is to keep the mother adjusted so that the pregnancy and delivery is as comfortable and pleasant an experience as possible. The second goal is to keep the mother’s body working as optimally as possible to prevent the need for medical intervention during delivery. While chiropractic is NOT the practice of obstetrics, there is a lot we can do to help achieve both of these goals.
An often overlooked fact is that the master controlling system of the mother’s body that is directing the process of pregnancy and delivery is the nervous system. Interference to the nervous system from misalignments in the spine and pelvis is called a subluxation. If an expectant mother is going through her pregnancy subluxated, it means that the function of her body is being compromised. Since pregnancy and delivery is a perfectly natural and normal process in the female body, it will usually happen exactly like it’s supposed to assuming that nothing is interfering with normal function.
Being adjusted throughout pregnancy to remove subluxations (and thus, nerve interference) gives the mother’s body the best opportunity to function undisturbed and the likelihood of requiring medical intervention during delivery will be reduced. Therefore chiropractic care during pregnancy should not only be utilized in the situation of pain and discomfort but for all expectant mothers regardless of the presence of symptoms.
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