Women With Abnormal Fetal Positions Benefit From Chiropractic

A study published in the January 26, 2012, issue of the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health reported that 70 percent of woman with abnormal fetal position pregnancies reported a correction of the fetal position. This study comprised 81 pregnant women with breech pregnancies late in their pregnancy.

The study authors begin by noting that between 25 and 30 percent of all pregnancies are breech (feet first) presentation by the end of the 28th week of pregnancy. However, that number drops dramatically by the 34th week with only about 3-4 percent reaching term with the breech presentation. The risk to the mother and baby is between three to four times higher for a breech birth than for a normal vertex birth delivery.

This study reviewed the results of 24 independent Doctors of Chiropractic who had seen 81 pregnant women who presented for care with a breech presentation. The determination of a breech presentation was made on average at 31.8 weeks of pregnancy. The women’s average age was 32.4 years.

The results of the study showed that by the 36th week, 70 percent of the women in the study had their pregnancy turn to a normal vertex position. A number of the women had used other forms of natural care in conjunction with the chiropractic. These other forms of care included slant board, crawling exercises, hip and pelvic movements and acupuncture. The only consistent care present in this study was the chiropractic care which all the women were receiving.

In their discussion, the authors discussed the overall growing evidence that chiropractic care is helpful for women with breech pregnancies, and noted, “With the continued popularity of chiropractic to address NMS (neuro-musculo-skeletal) complaints in the general population and for pregnancy related complaints in particular, there is now a growing body of literature documenting that pregnant patients may also derive benefits from chiropractic care beyond these NMS complaints.”