Should I see a Chiropractor during pregnancy?

Absolutely, yes! The No. 1 reason expecting women seek out Chiropractic care during pregnancy is to overcome the discomfort associated with carrying the baby. A woman’s body undergoes countless hormonal and biological changes throughout pregnancy and enormous changes in posture and mechanics of the spine and pelvic region.

Obviously, it is dangerous to the developing fetus to mask pain with a prescription or over-the-counter medications. Chiropractic treatment adjusts the cause of pain associated with dysfunction and misalignments of spinal joints that become tender and sore due to the enormous amount of mechanical stress that is being applied to a woman’s body. The spinal adjustments restore proper motion and alignment and allow the body to accommodate the mechanical stresses of a woman’s daily routine. Studies state that that 75 to 84 percent of women seeing a Chiropractor reported significant relief of back pain.

The most overlooked benefit of seeing a chiropractor during pregnancy, aside from increased comfort during pregnancy, is a shorter and more comfortable delivery. While discomfort during delivery is largely unavoidable, a recent hospital study stated that of women who sought out Chiropractic care during pregnancy, there was a 50-percent decrease in the need for pain-relieving drugs during delivery. Further, a new study released by a Harvard-trained OB-GYN states that in women who sought Chiropractic care during pregnancy, there was a 24-percent shorter labor and delivery time for first-time mothers and a 39-percent decrease in labor and delivery times for women who have delivered two or more children.

Lastly, if a mother has never seen a chiropractor, there is usually some concern surrounding the safety of the fetus during a Chiropractic adjustment. In our office, we use gentle and specific techniques, assuring that the baby is well protected. He or she is safely cushioned within the amniotic fluid, and no pressure is applied to the abdomen. Also, the amount of relaxin hormone released in a woman’s body allows for a simple and painless adjustment.

Dr. Justin Ashlock
Chiropractor