Is it Safe to go to Prenatal Chiropractor during Pregnancy?

To look at the roles and specific duties of Chiropractic care practitioners, let us look at it in greater detail.

Prenatal Chiropractors are trained specialists who focus on providing expectant mothers with healthcare to maintain their physical condition as their delivery date draws near. If the body is in optimal shape, the potential of having a C-section delivery is greatly reduced. Women with physical complications are advised to seek their care because they help in the birth process in so many ways.

Chiropractors adjust the physical frames of pregnant women to relieve them of stress to their spine caused by posture changes.

One of the common complaints experienced by pregnant women particularly those in the third and fourth trimester of pregnancy is sciatica inflammation. The Sciatica is a nerve that connects the lower back to the feet. As pregnancy progresses, the Sciatic nerve can sometimes be inflamed which can bring about severe back pains. Chiropractors help pregnant women overcome this physical complication with a series of effective physical exercises that flex the Sciatic nerves and make them more flexible. They also recommend some exercises that can be done regularly at home to improve physical health and stamina.

When pregnant, Pelvic imbalances are common in many women. Chiropractors help maintain pelvic balance by providing physical massages and exercise ideas.

Posture changes are normal in expectant mothers as the body gets used to the embryo growing in the womb. While this is normal, these changes can cause a lot of discomforts which can inhibit free movement. Chiropractors prepare women physically and mentally for these changes and help them deal with their changing physical features along with the strain it brings.

This is what Chiropractic care is all about. Prenatal chiropractic care sustains and maintains the physical conditions of pregnant women. When an expectant mother is in peak physical condition, she stays healthy along with the baby in the womb. Chiropractic care uses exercises and massages to adjust the body frame to ensure that joints, spinal columns and the body nerves are in their proper positions.

Just to stress a little bit further, here are some of the benefits of receiving Chiropractic care regularly.

There are many reasons why the birth process may be complicated and one of such reasons is down to physical complications. Women who are carrying twins for instance are subjected to more physical strains because their bodies have to deal with the two growing embryos, not one.  With proper and regular chiropractic care, they can have an easy birth process. Furthermore, elderly women and women in their middle ages who may not be in peak physical conditions like younger women may need special attention. The same thing goes for women who may be dealing with one form of condition or the other. Simply put, adequate chiropractic care makes a potentially complicated birth process less complicated.

If birth cannot be achieved through the natural process, a C-section procedure becomes the alternative. Natural births may be delayed due to prolonged labor period. By constantly subjecting yourself to chiropractic care, the health of the body is maintained and prepared for the final birth process.

Regular prenatal chiropractic care helps in correcting misaligned joints by placing them in their proper positions. Joint misalignments are normal in the latter stages of pregnancy.

With adequate prenatal care, difficulties associated with movements is addressed.

If the entire body is in peak condition, the possibility for a quick delivery is increased. Reduced labor time also reduces the likelihood of C-section deliveries which many are not so keen to go through.

Vomiting is quite normal during pregnancy but excessive vomiting could be an indication that something is wrong. Musculoskeletal tension is one of the known causes of vomiting. If you are pregnant and you find yourself vomiting frequently, you may need to consult a Prenatal Chiropractor for chiropractic care. Chiropractors deal with this problem without recommending any form of medication. The parts of the body such as the abdomen and back muscles that come under intense pressure due to physiological changes caused by pregnancy are massaged properly. Joints are massaged also to relieve pain. They may also recommend a change in your diet to prevent conditions that trigger vomiting.

Many expectant mothers have several questions about chiropractic care. Here are some of the answers to these questions.

Chiropractors help in maintaining the physical health of women at the various stages of pregnancy.

One way of doing it is to search for one using ‘’Find a Doctor’’. Or you can use referrals provided by friends, family and work colleagues.

Yes, Chiropractic care is safe. As a matter of fact, it is recognized by health experts as been a safe and non-invasive drug-free therapy. Furthermore, this type of care has very minimal risk complications associated with it.

No, you don’t. Although, your health plan may have referral requirement. If you work for an organization, you may also need to consult your HR department or your health insurance provider.

Yes, they work in hospitals. They are also found in outpatient clinical facilities such as labs and Xrays. Please note: Hospital privileges were first granted in 1983.

Across the entire length and breath of U.S and in most Western countries and countries with advanced health systems, Chiropractors can be found in both the public and private sector. Only a licensed Professional with the proper training can practice. However, some of them have garnered quite a reputation for themselves. Very good ones can be found by asking for referrals or reading online medical reviews.

A good source to refer to is from ICPA - International Chiropractic Pediatric Association, a non-profit organization advocating for integrating chiropractic practices into the family. This includes a directory of chiropractors who do prenatal care.

In most cases, you will be interviewed by the professional for the purpose of clarity. The Chiropractor will help you relax and ask salient questions that will enable him provide you with the best possible care. The Process can be broken down briefly into 4 parts.

1. Patient History and Symptoms

The Chiropractor will enquire about your physical condition. If you have pain, you will be asked where you feel the pain and when it started. You will be asked to describe how it feels and which physical activity causes you the most discomfort.

2. General Tests

General tests will be conducted at this stage. Some of the tests include but not, limited to Blood tests, Blood pressure tests, Pulse check, Respiratory checks, reflexes, specific neurological and orthopedic assessments etc.

3. Diagnostic Studies

A diagnostic study is done based on the results gotten from the first two stages stated above. They are done to reveal the pathology of the patient and to identify structural abnormalities.

After these three processes have been completed, the Chiropractor now focuses on a course of action by drawing up a treatment plan for the patient.

The birth process is a complicated period in a woman’s life when preparing to bring new life into the world. For all the physiological changes brought up by a growing embryo, women can still stay healthy during pregnancy and have a stress-free labor period. By regularly subjecting yourself to quality chiropractic care, the probability of prolonged labor period is drastically reduced and you can have your child via the natural birth process. Every mother hopes to welcome her child into this world in peak physical condition but to do so, you have to be physically healthy yourself not only during the pre-pregnancy period but during the post pregnancy period as well.  As a healthy mother, you are better placed to provide your baby with all the motherly care you can afford and much more with the medical support provided by Chiropractors.