Chiropractic and Pregnancy:
What Is Its Purpose?
by Dr. Brad R. Kersten, D.C. and Dr. Ginger R. Wolfe, D.C.

During pregnancy a mother's ligaments, muscles, and spine go through many changes. Adapting to the stress of a growing child inside the uterus can cause many alterations in the body. More importantly, the affects of these alterations can cause interference to the nervous system (our Master Control System), and ultimately compromise the health of both mother and child.

How does chiropractic help? Many people are under the impression that chiropractic is only for back pain. Certainly a mother might undergo some back pain during her pregnancy, but chiropractic goes much further than that. If there is stress to the spine, then there is stress to the nervous system which regulates everything in our bodies. The nerves that exit the spine go to every organ, muscle, gland, and every living cell in the body. This governing system in our body is what allows us to be self-healing and self-regulating beings.

A misalignment that causes any pressure or disturbance in the nerves is called a subluxation and hinders our bodies ability to function at its optimum level of health. That is why chiropractic is truly essential throughout pregnancy. Specific chiropractic adjustments remove subluxations and allow the mother to adapt to the rapid changes in her body. Therefore, she can maintain proper functions of the entire body throughout the pregnancy.

One of the most important functions of the body during pregnancy is the proper support of the ligaments within the pelvic girdle. These ligaments need to be balanced in order to allow the pelvis to expand normally. A subluxated pelvis will cause an imbalance in the ligaments and muscles that support the uterus and can prevent the pelvis from expanding properly. This can inflict restraint on the fetus and prevent proper positioning as well. If the baby is unable to position itself it can lead to discomfort for both the mother and the fetus, and may lead to a difficult birthing process, painful labors, and medical intervention.

One particular chiropractic technique used to balance the pelvis and ligaments during pregnancy is known as "The Webster Technique". This technique is most commonly used in the 3rd trimester for mothers whose babies are positioned either breech or transverse. Doctors of Chiropractic reported greater than 85% success rate in their ability to balance pelvic structures and remove restraint to the fetus. This allows the baby to assume the vertex position, and helps facilitate a safer delivery for both the mother and the child.

Today chiropractic is becoming a routine practice by birth care providers. Recent studies have shown that chiropractic care during pregnancy can decrease low back pain and reduce labor time by 50-60%. In fact, it may be beneficial to have newborns checked for subluxations that could have been caused by the birthing process.

If you are currently pregnant, or know someone who is, and you are researching information regarding your health status, chiropractic wellness is a great place to start. Chiropractic is beneficial to everyone in any cycle of life. Cherish each and every moment of the miraculous wonders of pregnancy, and consider the best in optimum lifestyles for you and your baby through chiropractic wellness.

Dr. Brad R. Kersten, D.C. or Dr. Ginger R. Wolfe, D.C. practice "The Webster Technique", and, can be contacted at Helping Hands Chiropractic, 303-494-2800. Helping Hands Chiropractic offers Children's Chiropractic Information Center as a free resource to the public.