subject: Chiropractic Care for the Pregnant Woman [print this page] Chiropractic Care for the Pregnant Woman
Women and men have different pelvis shapes. The above picture is of both male and female version. The female is on the left and the male is on the right. Notice that the pelvis of the female has a wider opening in the middle. That is for childbirth. Even with this difference, many women have different pelvic shapes and different degrees of movement in the joints of the pelvis.
Different pelvic shapes can play a role in how difficult or easy it is for a woman to physically give birth - to push a 5-10 pound baby through the birth canal.
Pelvic Inlet Gynecoid Android Anthropoid Platypelloid Prevalence 50% 20% 25% 5% Description Early and complete internal rotation Deep transverse arrest is common Usually an "easy" birth. Facial presentation Delay at pelvic inlet Prognosis Good Poor Good Poor. Disproportionate delay at inlet. Often c-section
If you fall into one of the categories in which a more difficult labor is possible, or if you have been told that a Cesarean section is a likelihood for you, then you should give chiropractic a chance.
The pelvic bones and the sacrum are connected by joints, including the sacroiliac joints and the pubic symphysis. Proper unlocking and motion in these joints is important for the pelvis to be able to expand enough to make labor less-than-impossible.
These joints should naturally become more relaxed during pregnancy due to a hormone called relaxin. Sometimes the stretching of these joints alone will cause pain in the hip and groin, irregardless of whether a "problem" exists or not. Other times there is pain due to mis-alignments in the spine and hip.
As a chiropractor, I regularly adjust these joints and help restore proper motion to fixated joints in the spine. This helps the body function as it is designed, without disruption. Chiropractic focuses on removing interference and letting the body work to it's fullest potential.
Chiropractic isn't a "cure" for having a pelvis that is not ideally shaped for labor and delivery. Chiropractic is a natural way to deal with the aches and pain of life, including those of pregnancy, and having a properly aligned and moving spine and pelvis could very well help you have a happier pregnancy and more natural birth process.
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