Chiropractic care has been found to have many positive effects on pregnancy and labor
The 3 most common changes pregnant mom's under chiropractic care experience are:
1. Reduction in pain with carrying the child and during labor.2. Reduced time of labor.
3. Improved fetal positioning.
Chiropractic Care has many benefits during pregnancy including but not limited to pain management. For example in a recent study the need for analgesics was reduced by 50% in the
patients who received adjustments. In addition, 84% of women report
relief of back pain during pregnancy with chiropractic care.
Time of Labor
1. The most common cause of Cesarean (C-Section) in the U. S. is "failure to progress".
2. Misalignments in the pelvic outlet can be the cause of slower descent of the fetus through the birth canal.
3. Back pain could also decrease a mother's rang of motion making it more difficult for her to assume the upright, active positions that have been proven to make labor more efficient.
4. Proper adjustments can make sure that the hips and pelvis are in proper alignment.
A 1994 study by Dr. Fallon demonstrated that "chiropractic adjustments effectively reduce the average amount of time spent in labor:
With a 25% reduction from the accepted average labor times in first time mothers who had regular chiropractic care during pregnancy.
33% reduction from the norm in woman who had previously given birth.
Fetal Positioning
There is another aspect beyond just length of labor to consider. Another huge factor in labor progress and even pain levels is the proper positioning of the fetus.
1. It has long been accepted that a breech baby (a baby presenting foot or buttock first instead of head first) is more difficult to deliver, often resulting in a Cesarean. It is also known that a posterior baby (a baby who, while head down, is facing forwards rather than face towards the mother's spine) creates the most painful labor conditions.
2. One of the biggest benefits to regular chiropractic care during pregnancy is that a properly balanced and open pelvis allows more room for the fetus to turn into a proper position to ease labor.
Encouraging Labor
1. Pelvic bone adjustments have been found to stimulate part-due labors and non-progressive labors that are stalled due to pelvic outlet disproportion."
2. Dr. Sears wrote in Parenting magazine "It is our personal theory that chiropractic care in pregnancy can help to avoid or relieve back pain and also prepare your back and pelvic structures for the stresses of labor and birth." And I have to agree with him.
If you or anyone you know are adding to the family please let them know the benefits of chiropractic care before, during and after pregnancy.
