I'm Pregnant. Should I Get Adjusted?

I’m Pregnant. Should I get adjusted?

            One of the more common things that we hear as chiropractors is that a friend or current patient doesn’t want to come get adjusted because they are pregnant. It is sometimes believed that if a person is pregnant that a chiropractor will be unable to treat them. This is WRONG. During pregnancy there are multiple changes that take place in a woman’s body and a number of symptoms may arise from the changes that take place. Nausea and vomiting, constipation, gas/bloating, hemorrhoids, sciatica, and low back pain are just a few of the symptoms that may be experienced during pregnancy. What if I told you that chiropractic was not only safe for the mother during pregnancy and could help with these conditions but could also help aid in helping the fetus develop properly and make the birthing process easier. Let’s dive into some scenarios.

One of the most common symptoms that presents to the office is lower back pain.  About 75% of women report back pain at some time during pregnancy. During pregnancy, as the fetus starts to grow, there is more weight for the mother to carry in her abdominal area. This weight causes the pelvis to start to shift forward. As the pelvis begins to tilt anteriorly, the lumbar lordosis (curve) starts to increase, placing stretch on the back extensor muscles and on the sacroiliac joints. This can cause wedging of L4, L5 and sacrum. This wedging causes inflammation and irritation at these joints which can reproduce pain. As the fetus descends into the pelvis, there is increased pressure on the lumbosacral plexus, which can induce sciatic pain and paresthesia (numbness) in the leg.

Another issue that pregnant mothers can deal with is constipation. Constipation can make the mother uncomfortable and can possibly lead to hemorrhoids. Sacrum is the most common subluxation found with constipation. By giving an adjustment and allowing for proper function of the sacrum, it can relieve the pressure off of the nerves to the intestines and allow for proper bowel movements.

In a study involving 223 pregnant women “showed a decrease in the duration of labor in pregnant women who received spinal manipulation compared with pregnant women who did not receive spinal manipulation.” In the first pregnancy with women who received spinal manipulation, the average duration of labor was 9 hours and 54 minutes compared to 21 hours and 6 minutes. In another study involving 100 pregnant women, the women who received spinal manipulation had an average duration of 9 hours and 20 minutes at the first pregnancy compared to 15 hours for those that did not receive spinal manipulation. These studies suggest that by manipulating the lumbar spine, it is possible through viscerosomatic (organ and body) feedback, to affect the pelvic viscera, and possibly induce uterine contractions.” There is a viscerosomatic connection between the lumbar spine and the uterus. A 1982 study of 500 pregnant women showed that manipulation to the lumbar spine not only decreased pain during labor, but also “reduced the need for major narcotic pain medication.”

Chiropractic should be a treatment option for all pregnant women. The effects of spinal manipulation are not limited to musculoskeletal complaints but can also induce change within the viscera through the viscerosomatic connection. Chiropractic is safe for pregnant women and the fetus. Not only can adjustments relieve pain and other symptoms, but the stress that is on the mother will greatly be reduced if these problems do not exist. Chiropractic treatment should not be avoided when pregnancy occurs, it should be sought out. 

-Dr. Cory T. O'Lear-Zebroski