Chiropractic care during pregnancy can be beneficial for the pregnant woman for numerous reasons.

Prenatal chiropractic care is not only safe and effective, but it can be beneficial for the pregnant woman for numerous reasons. Although spinal-related conditions such as back pain and sciatica are often associated with pregnancy, it does not have to be that way.

During the nine months of pregnancy, a woman’s body will go through many changes that can affect her spinal alignment. These include hormonal changes such as the release of relaxin, which increases the ligaments’ laxity to help prepare the body for the birthing process, thus making the spine and pelvis prone to instabilities; as well as postural and gait changes as the baby and the mother’s belly grow. Seeing a chiropractor with training in prenatal care can help restore the body’s proper alignment and help ease aches and pains.

A woman’s spinal alignment plays a significant role in the birthing process itself.

More importantly, a woman’s spinal alignment plays a significant role in the birthing process itself. Abnormal spinal alignment and movement may, in fact, contribute to a more difficult labour for the mother (dystocia), which may affect the length, comfort, and level of complications of the birthing process. The uterus attaches to the pelvis via key ligaments; therefore, any asymmetrical changes in the woman’s pelvic alignment also affect the tone of these ligaments and may create torsion in the uterus. This, in turn, may play an indirect role in the baby’s positioning by decreasing the baby’s space to properly move around (intrauterine constraint). Such restriction in movements for the baby during pregnancy may also lead to more long-term effects after the birth such as torticollis, head tilt, and other possible neurological conditions.

The Webster Technique is a chiropractic technique used by some chiropractors, including Dr. Josée, to restore the neuro-biomechanical function of the pelvis.

For more information on the Webster Technique or to find a Webster-certified chiropractor in your area, visit the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association’s website by clicking the link below.