News - Chiropractic
Healthier Pregnancy
Research Article of the Month
January, 2010
Prepared by: Shane J. Lynch, D.C.
Borggren, CL. Pregnancy and chiropractic: a narrative review of the literature. J Chiro Med 2007; (7)6: 70-74.
Key points:
• “It has been reported that approximately 50% of all pregnant women experience back pain during their pregnancy and 50% to 75% of women experience back pain during labor”.
• “Structural adaptation in the gravid patient is a contributory source of low back pain throughout gestation”.
• “Spinal dysfunction related to changing load distributions within the motion segments of the lumbar spine and sacroiliac joints are also a factor in back pain.”
• “Traction, pressure or stretch of the adnexa, parietal peritoneum, bladder, urethra, rectum, and pelvic structures can also cause referred pain and secondary muscle spasm”.
• “…the increase in circulating progesterone, estrogen, and relaxin throughout gestation, especially in the third trimester, brings about pelvic hypermobility and creates a decrease n spinal stabilization”.
• “…75% of pregnant patients who received chiropractic care during their pregnancies stated that they found relief from pain”.
• “…chiropractic manipulation may significantly decrease the incidence of back labor”.
• “A retrospective review of statistics reported that primigravida women who seek chiropractic care throughout gestation have, on average, a 25% shorter labor time whereas multiparous women who seek chiropractic care throughout their pregnancy have, on average, 31% shorter labor times”.
• “…a strong relationship (was found) between women receiving prenatal osteopathic manipulative treatment and a reduction of the occurrence of these outcomes of pregnancy, labor and delivery (preterm delivery, use of forceps, and cesarean delivery), especially for meconium-stained amniotic fluid and preterm delivery.”
• “…improving the strength of the transversis abdominus muscle is thought to prevent some of the typical postural alterations that are seen in the third trimester that come with anterior pelvic tilt”.
• “The doctors reported that they found favorable results in relieving the constraints that may be contributory to the malposition of the fetus, and 92% of cases resulted in resolution of the breech position”.
• “The chiropractor’s role in breech presentation is to balance the pelvis and corresponding muscles and ligaments to remove the constraint to the patient’s uterus to allow the fetus to assume the correct position.”
• “The authors of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association survey have suggested that this technique (Webster) be further investigated regarding its role in the care of this population (breech pregnancies).”
• “Evidence also exists that women who exercise during pregnancy have more energy, fewer mood swings, are more restful, are able to manage to stress more effectively, and achieve more restful sleep compared with sedentary pregnant women.”
• “Women who exercise…enjoy shorter, easier labors (decreased by an average of 2 hours); experience fewer medical interventions (24% fewer cesarean deliveries and 14% reduction in use of forceps); experience less fetal distress; and enjoy a faster recovery”.
• “The normal birthing process is a potential source of trauma to the infant’s spine”.
• “The induced vector of force that may cause trauma to the newborn includes traction of the cervical spine coupled with hyperextension during the birth process. Forceps, cesarean, and suction or vacuum extraction can also cause trauma to the newborn’s cervical and thoracic spine and spinal cord and may warrant chiropractic evaluation”.
• “Chiropractic evaluation and treatment during this period (pregnancy) may be warranted and considered a safe and effective means of treating common musculoskeletal symptoms that many pregnant patients encounter. The published evidence even suggests that regular chiropractic care may improve the probability of successful natural parturition”.
