Chiropractic Helping Pregnancy And Pelvic Floor
Exciting news for pregnant women!!
Those with keen eyes may have noticed an influx of women coming in for Chiropractic care who are either planning, counting the weeks into pregnancy, or have recently given birth – I know we have! With many women already in the know, it only seems fitting to share some exciting research that has implications for all women, especially those who are pregnant. The results of a recent Chiropractic study show that adjusting pregnant women has a positive effect on their pelvic floor muscles. More precisely it appears that adjustments assist pregnant women in the ability to relax pelvic floor muscles (as well as contract them).
This is very important when it comes to having proper control over muscles intricate to the process of giving birth. Being able to properly relax the pelvic floor muscles during labour may reduce the likelihood of birthing complications along with shortened labour times, potentially reducing pain and fatigue and decreasing the risks of emergency caesarean sections when compared to those women who can’t relax these muscles as they birth their baby. In 2010 a study by the World Health Organization ranked Australia in the tops for C-sections performed per birth, of which many of these procedures are deemed to be unnecessary and costly to taxpayers. The possibility of Chiropractic assisting in natural deliveries and having the potential to decrease the rates of caesarean sections could be huge for all Australians.
Combine this with the importance of maintaining good posture during the weeks of pregnancy to reduce mechanical stress on the body and we see multiple benefits of Chiropractic care throughout pregnancy. Naturally, being pregnant alters centre of gravity on the mother-to-be’s body and puts excess and irregular stress on the structural system, ultimately pulling you forward. In Advanced BioStructural Correction (ABC) we have a continual focus on bringing the body back and upright in order to help us live healthy and stress reduced lives. It’s not uncommon for pregnant women to remark about suffering aches and pains as their bodies change, yet with regular ABC chiropractic care we have seen firsthand in our office that this can be easily minimised and even avoided. Being made aware of the benefits ABC during pregnancy would be something all women would like to know.
Below is a link summarising the research study on pregnant women and pelvic floor control: