Is it Safe to Get a Chiropractic Adjustment While Pregnant?
Pregnancy is an exciting milestone for many. But it is not without its challenges. Symptoms like morning sickness, headaches, mood shifts, and aches and pains can make this beautiful experience feel exhausting and humbling.
With all that pain in your back, neck, and feet, you may be wondering, “Can I go to the chiropractor while pregnant?”
Getting chiropractic care while pregnant is generally considered safe and can be a soothing, supportive addition to prenatal care.
Why Choose Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy
It’s normal to have questions about chiropractic care, especially when pregnant. Your body goes through many changes and adjustments as pregnancy progresses which can impact your posture and joints.
- Added weight – It’s healthy and normal to gain an average of 30 pounds during pregnancy.1 Unfortunately, this weight gain can cause strain on the skeletal structure and carriage muscles in the back and core, causing soreness and pain.
- Shifting center of gravity – As your abdomen starts to protrude, your posture adjusts to accommodate the new positioning of your center and creates a curve in your back, another cause for strain and discomfort.2
- Hormonal shifts – The body releases all kinds of hormones to support pregnancy. One of those is a hormone called relaxin.3 Just as it sounds, this hormone “relaxes” your ligaments and joints to prepare for labor.4 But it can also cause instability and weakness.
There are a few instances when chiropractic care may not be appropriate for pregnant patients, so be sure to share any conditions or concerns you may have so that they can make a fully informed determination regarding your need for care.
There are four main ways that a chiropractor can offer relief to their perinatal patients.
Pain Relief
Your posture will naturally change as your baby grows. However, these natural shifts in the body’s center of gravity can cause strain on the spine. A pregnancy chiropractor can help alleviate pain by realigning the spine and joints when they are out of place and supporting your posture. A medical/chiropractic study found that about 75% of pregnant patients experienced less pain after a chiropractic adjustment.5
Pelvic Positioning
There’s some evidence to suggest that chiropractic adjustments can benefit not just the parent, but the unborn baby, too.
If a pelvis shifts out of alignment during pregnancy, it can cause intrauterine constraint,6 or restrict the fetus’ movement in the uterus and cause pain for the parent. By focusing on the pelvis and its corresponding ligaments, chiropractors can help “balance” the pelvis and give the baby more room for labor and delivery. Some studies report that chiropractic care can decrease labor times by up to 30% or more.7
Realigning the pelvis in this way can even help reposition babies who are in a breech position (feet-first).8
Relieves Nausea
For many pregnant people, morning sickness can be one of the most difficult symptoms to deal with. Chiropractor care focuses a great deal on the spine, the main highway of the nervous system. Adjustments to the spinal column may include a secondary benefit—improving the function of the nervous system and helping ease the feeling of nausea.9 A chiropractic adjustment can also support better sleep.
Postpartum Relief
Chiropractic care can offer benefits beyond the three trimesters of pregnancy. It can also help new parents during the postpartum period, especially if breastfeeding is causing strain on the back and shoulders.
Find Your Prenatal Chiropractor Now
Though most chiropractors have been taught to treat pregnant patients, some take a particular interest in prenatal care and specialize in it. Look for chiropractors with these professional designations:10
- DACCP – Diplomate with ICPA reflecting the highest level of advanced training
- CACCP – Certified with the ICPA reflecting advanced training
- Member of ICPA reflecting special interest
- Webster Certified – trained to work specifically with pelvic balance in pregnanc
Ready to find your prenatal chiropractor?
Search the WSCA database for Washington state chiropractors with the experience you need.