This month I’d like to focus on a recent article I found, which discussed the benefits of Chiropractic care during pregnancy*.
During pregnancy a woman’s body undergoes a variety of changes as the baby inside her womb starts to develop. It is common for mothers to experience discomfort due to these changes taking place in her body. These changes can cause sprains and strains on the ligaments, muscles and joints in the spine.
The article in question was published in the the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and compared the response of 169 pregnant women complaining of low back and pelvic pain. The study assessed pain and physical function at 24-28 weeks of gestation and compared them again at the 33 week stage. During this time the ladies were split into 2 groups. Both groups received their normal routine Obstetric care and one group received Chiropractic care. In this instance the care given by the Chiropractor was spinal and pelvic manipulation, stabilisation exercises and patient education.
By the 33 week stage the researchers found that the group who received both routine Obstetric care and Chiropractic care demonstrated significant reductions in their pain level and improved function. This is quite an exciting statistic as it demonstrates that a cooperative approach to low back and pelvic pain in mid pregnancy benefits patients more than routine Obstetric care alone.
For more information about Chiropractic care and pregnancy contact a CAA NT Chiropractor today.
*A randomized controlled trial comparing a multimodal intervention and standard obstetrics care for low back and pelvic pain in pregnancy. George JW et al. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2012 Oct 23. Electronic version ahead of print.
