According to Joan’s Fallon textbook on chiropractic & pregnancy, pregnant women who sought chiropractic care enjoyed 25% shorter labor times. It also reduces pain and helps to reduce symptoms of nausea while establishing pelvic balance. It is considered safe and effective during pregnancy. However, your chiropractor must be licensed and experienced to avoid the risk of unwanted fractures or injury to you and your unborn baby.
For many pregnant women, various pains and aches in their hips and lower back zone are part of the pregnancy course.
Chiropractic care involves the high maintenance of the spinal column and the adjustment of misaligned joints by massaging specific key pressure points.
This practice is purely based on physical therapy and does not involve the use of drugs or any surgery.
So are you on the fence about whether or not you should consider seeing your local chiropractor at your local chiropractic joint?
What are the benefits of chiropractic care for pregnant women?
Chiropractors are trained to work with pregnant women, with some specializing specifically in pre and postnatal care. Below are the benefits pregnant women can experience by seeing a chiropractor.
1. Reduces in-utero constraints
Amongst the changes in a woman’s body during pregnancy is the increased production of the relaxin hormone that helps relax the body’s ligaments so that the baby assumes the proper position while the mother moves.
In some cases, pregnant women may experience subluxation, which restricts the motion of the pelvis, which in turn can cause in-utero constraint, where the stress placed on the ligaments is so great that they’re unable to relax and allow the baby to change its position.
This condition can be prevented and treated using chiropractic care as it reduces the stress on the pregnant woman’s frame and allows the baby to move freely.
Chiropractic care also allows the baby to turn its head down, priming it for the day of delivery.
2. Shortens labor times
This reduced labor times, by far, is arguably the chiropractic care benefit that pregnant women are grateful for the most. The shorter labor times are possible thanks to chiropractic care for preparing the woman’s body for delivery by ensuring the joints and spine are correctly aligned.
Correcting the body’s posture establishes the nervous system between the woman and the body, facilitating a smoother birthing. Reducing labor times even a little is a blessing, especially for first-time moms.
3. Reduces lower back pain
Lower back pain is one of the most common symptoms pregnant women experience due to their extra weight. Due to this extra load, their spine transforms to accommodate their new body.
These transformations often result in lower back pain and only get worse as the baby grows in size. Chiropractic care can help correct the spine’s posture as the baby develops, keeping the spine in its natural intended curve.
4. Chiropractic care eases pregnancy symptoms
Besides disjointed pelvic areas and lower back pains, other common pregnancy symptoms include nausea and vomiting, and chiropractic care is an excellent way of relieving this morning sickness.
If the vomiting and nausea are caused due to nerves being pinched or the vertebrae being out of place, chiropractic care is purpose-built to solve such exact issues. The gentle physical care and adjustments will put everything back in place.
5. It improves postpartum recovery
The benefits of chiropractic care also extend beyond pregnancy into the postpartum period. Being adjusted before and after delivery will help the body to recover faster from the delivery process.
This physical therapy enhances the alignment and flexibility of the spine and stimulates the nervous system helping it to stay functional, balanced, and healthy.
What are the disadvantages of chiropractic care for pregnant women?
Chiropractic care is proven to be an effective noninvasive medical procedure worldwide. Rarely have there been situations where the treatment worsened the condition, but, like all medical procedures, it is not without risks. Here are a few risks of chiropractic care.
1. The risk of injury
There’s a chance of spinal and joint manipulation, which may cause unwanted fractures or injuries. So it is essential that you only have an appointment with an experienced chiropractor.
People with bone damage are highly advised not to undergo chiropractic care due to increased chances of bone damage since it involves the manipulation of the spine and requires high-velocity thrust.
2. The treatment tends to be expensive
These treatments require several visits to the chiropractor, and even though a single session may seem cheap, the bill stacks up along with the number of sessions.
The cost of treatment can be pretty high, and some insurance companies do not have coverage for chiropractic care.
3. The credibility of the chiropractor
One of the most concerning pros and risks of chiropractic treatment is the credibility of chiropractors. It will help if you don’t end up with a nonlicensed chiropractor.
FAQs
Is chiropractic care safe for pregnant women?
Chiropractic care is considered safe and effective during pregnancy as it increases energy and reduces tension which helps the spinal nerve to work effectively.
However, the treatment is unsafe for women facing issues such as placenta eruption, vaginal bleeding, and ectopic pregnancy.
Is chiropractic care addictive?
Chiropractors claim that the treatment is not addictive but owing to its noninvasive treatment method and pain-relieving ability, it can be addictive.
It is safe for kids, too, as it is also a drug-free form of treatment. It is the science of healing without drugs.
Conclusion
Before you decide on having chiropractic care treatment, be sure that you are aware of its pros and cons, and only proceed if the benefits outweigh the disadvantages.
But as an alternative treatment during pregnancy, chiropractic care is proven to be very safe, and the complications and side effects that might happen are infrequent.
But even so, you can’t gamble with your safety and that of your unborn, so it is essential that you only deal with a licensed and experienced health chiropractor and be sure that chiropractic care is for you.
