N8 Health Centre - Pregnancy

N8 Presentations:

We offer monthly presentations on how to help you and your family toward a clearer expression of life. For more information please see our Presentations page.

Chiropractic and Pregnancy

Why Chiropractic Care?

Chiropractic care is essential for the pregnant mother. During pregnancy, many physiological and endocrinological changes take place, all for the purpose of creating an optimal environment for the developing baby. This complex process involves every system of the pregnant woman’s body. The mother undergoes many changes and adaptations to compensate for the growing baby and the risk of interference to her nerve system is increased.

Chiropractic care throughout pregnancy allows for healthier function of the mother and baby. Specific techniques tailored to pregnant mothers create balance in the mother’s pelvic bones and therefore reduce the possibility of intrauterine constraint.

Pelvic Dysfunction

Williams Obstetrics Text tells us that, "Any contraction of the pelvic diameters that diminish the capacity of the pelvis can create dystocia (difficulty) during labor." They further state that the diameter of the woman's pelvis is decreased when the sacrum is displaced. Dr. Abraham Towbin, medical researcher on birth tells us that the bony pelvis may become "deformed" this way by trauma. The Webster Technique was devoloped specifically to address subluxations during pregnancy.

Weight Changes:

Pregnancy causes increased weight gain and change in weight distribution.
Increases demand on spinal and pelvic muscles.
Increases stress on spinal and pelvic ligaments, and causes an increase in lumbar and thoracic spinal curves.
Increases the stress on muscles, ligaments and joints and the occurrence of vertebral and sacroiliac joint misalignments.

How Chiropractic Can Help?

The nerve system controls all functions of the body, including labor. Chiropractic adjustments ensure that there is no interference with the process of birth. Optimum nerve supply will allow the cervix to dilate and the uterus to contract rhythmically and forcefully possibly decreasing labor time. Alignment of the pelvis ensures the maximum amount of room for the baby to exit and the incidence of uterine constraint to be decreased. Regular chiropractic care keeps mom active and mobile and helps to keep mom’s body feeling and functioning at its best while coping with the physical, chemical and emotional stresses of an ever-changing body. Make regular chiropractic care an integral part of your prenatal and postpartum health care plan.

Chiropractic care during pregnancy has been shown to reduce the length of time a woman labors. First time moms averaged a 24% shorter labor while moms who had already given birth experienced a 39% reduction compared to controls. (Fallon 1991)

In one study conducted by Irvin Hendryson, M.D., a member of the American Medical Association board of trustees, it was shown that women who received chiropractic adjustments in their third trimester of pregnancy were able to carry and deliver children with more comfort.
American Medical Association records released in 1987 during trial in U.S. District Court Northern Illinois Eastern Division, No.76 C 3777.

Well-known orthopedist Per Freitag, M.D., conducted a hospital study that incorporated chiropractic adjustments during the patient’s pregnancy. He found that the need for painkillers during delivery was reduced by 50%.