For a variety of reasons, pregnancy in our society is often treated as pathology, or a disease. It is certainly a separate and distinct season of a woman’s life and should be treated as such. There are many health care choices that women can make to assist themselves and their developing baby that are natural, where pregnant women have opportunities in which they can take a more active role in their health care, and can become more than a passive participant in this season of life.
In chiropractic offices, women who are pregnant are treated specifically and individually. There are often pelvic, sacral, or lumbar subluxations (misalignment of the vertebra and nerve dysfunction) which may develop into pain or symptoms in the low back, legs, or abdomen, and can have an impact upon the mother as well as the baby. Chiropractors are trained to evaluate the entire person, not simply treating a single complaint. Additionally chiropractors have a specific approach to evaluation and treatment which includes the postural muscluo-skeletal changes which occur through pregnancy. Women who seek chiropractic care through their pregnancy typically have less pain and unpleasant symptoms throughout. There have been several studies which show a 50% shorter length of time in labor with women who seek chiropractic care. Short labor time is always a positive finding, in its own right. Shortening the duration of labor will lead to fewer complications during the labor process resulting in fewer medical interventions throughout the experience.
Finally, the involvement of the woman in her own health care and treatment is vital. The more knowledgeable she becomes about pregnancy as well as her own particular body’s responses and changes throughout the pregnancy, the more control she will have in her health care. This also applies to the way the delivery occurs. There are several methods to cope with the pain associated with labor, as well as options to consider as labor progresses. Doctors and health professional are skilled in assessing problems and have specific understanding, but the more the pregnant patient knows and understands about herself, as well as what occurs throughout labor and delivery, the better she will be and the better process will be for all involved. Pregnancy is not a disease, but it is a distinct and specific season of a woman’s life which requires specific knowledge for the healthiest outcome for both the pregnant woman as well as the new life she is bringing into the world.