Reduction
of Labor and Delivery Time Due to Chiropractic Care
The Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health
published a case study on April 3, 2017, documenting
the case of a woman who experienced a shorter and
easier birth due to chiropractic care. This
improvement was compared to her first pregnancy and
delivery where she did not receive any chiropractic
care.
The
study begins by noting that chiropractic care has
been involved in the care of pregnant women since
the early days of the profession over a century ago.
The authors note that over 76% of practicing
chiropractors report that the care of pregnant women
is a part of their practices. This care is rendered
for both musculoskeletal issues related to pregnancy
as well as care for overall wellness during
pregnancy.
In this study, a 28-year-old woman went to the
chiropractor for evaluation and possible care. She
sought chiropractic for a pain in her tailbone area
as well as for wellness care. The woman believed
that her pelvis had shifted due to her first
pregnancy. She reported that after the delivery of
her firstborn, she experienced pain and discomfort
at her tailbone any time she sat on a hard surface.
The woman reported that her first pregnancy went
well, but that her delivery was very long and
difficult. This was one of the factors in her desire
to receive chiropractic care in anticipation of her
second pregnancy.
Her history revealed that between the ages of eight
and sixteen, she was a competitive gymnast and was
receiving chiropractic intermittently during that
time. She also noted that she did not receive any
chiropractic care during her first pregnancy. Prior
to her first pregnancy, she did not have tailbone
pain. She later attributed her long and difficult
labor and delivery as being the cause of the
tailbone pain.
A chiropractic examination was performed and it was
determined that multiple vertebral subluxations were
present. Care was started to address the
subluxations through a series of adjustments to the
areas involved. After a number of adjustments, the
woman reported a 50% reduction in the tail bone
pain. She then became pregnant for the second time.
The chiropractic care was continued to, hopefully,
facilitate an easier delivery process.
As with her first birth, the woman decided to have
her second child at home. She was supervised by the
same Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) that
attended her first home birth. According to the
midwife, the woman’s first labor and delivery time
combined was 32 hours and 25 minutes. After
chiropractic care, the midwife reported that the
woman’s labor and delivery times for her second
child was only two hours and 45 minutes combined.
In their conclusion, the study authors note that
chiropractic care during pregnancy is far more
valuable than just symptomatic relief of
musculoskeletal pains, and should be considered for
the overall wellness and process of pregnancy. They
stated, "This case report provides supporting
evidence that subluxation centered chiropractic care
on pregnant patients can have beneficial effects on
the birthing process." |