Is Chiropractic safe during Pregnancy?

Every week, I get numerous questions about if chiropractic care is safe for pregnant moms? And every time, I answer the question the same way. Chiropractic care for pregnant women is not only safe, but AMAZING! 

Many articles have been written on the safety and efficacy of receiving chiropractic care during pregnancy. The American Pregnancy Association actually recommends prenatal chiropractic care. In 2007, Cara Borggren published a large systematic review that included 33 studies on chiropractic and pregnancy.

She stated, “Chiropractic evaluation and treatment during pregnancy may be considered safe and effective.”

Another retrospective case series was performed and found that out of 17 pregnant women, 16 found relief of back pain with chiropractic. The average time until relief was 4.5 days after their adjustment, and NO side effects were reported.

Many pregnant women are referred to my office by their doula, yoga instructor, birth educator, or midwife.

What do all of those professions have in common? They all take a woman's body into consideration during pregnancy and they know that a properly aligned spine will lead to an optimal pregnancy! Doulas and midwives both love to see women have amazing birth experiences. Because of this, many people in the Jacksonville birth community love to have their clients and patients adjusted during pregnancy in hopes that their labors will be exactly what they want it to be like.

In a study of 65 women presented at the World Chiropractic Congress, Dr. Joan Fallon showed that pregnant mothers under principled chiropractic care from their 10th week of pregnancy until birth experienced 24% shorter labor times than average for women in their first pregnancy and 39% shorter labor times for women who've had multiple pregnancies!

That is AMAZING, completely natural, and SAFE!

“Women who received chiropractic adjustments in their third trimester were able to carry and deliver their child with much more comfort.” -Irvin Henderson, MD

Now, what woman doesn't want that??

I do want to point out that a Webster Certified Chiropractor * should be the only person seeing pregnant moms for chiropractic care.

The Webster Technique is mentioned a lot on the internet.

So, what is the Webster Technique? And how is it different from a regular chiropractic adjustment?

It is an analysis and correction of the bony structures, muscles, and ligaments of the pelvis using gentle chiropractic adjustments. No twisting, cracking, or popping at our office! The Webster technique, as defined by the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA), is a “specific chiropractic analysis and adjustment that reduces interference to the nervous system and balances maternal pelvic muscles and ligaments. This, in turn, may reduce tension in the mother’s pelvic muscles and ligaments and contribute to optimal fetal positioning in preparation for birth.” Optimal fetal position leads to safer, easier birth and can help mom have the birth story that she's always desired.

So if you have been wondering if chiropractic is right for your pregnancy, it is! I hope you found this informative and answered the question if chiropractic is safe during pregnancy.

*You can find a Webster Certified Chiropractor near you at www.ICPA4Kids.org/Find-A-Chiropractor