Great news for pregnant women!

New Zealand research suggests that expectant mothers may particularly benefit from chiropractic care. Results indicate that chiropractic adjustments of pregnant women appear to relax the pelvic floor muscles at rest, ultimately reducing tension and restriction.

“Commenting on her research Dr Heidi Haavik says: `For a woman in labor, the ability to relax pelvic floor muscles (as well as contract them) to allow the baby to move through the birth canal is incredibly important, especially as the baby crowns. If the woman can’t relax these muscles as the baby moves through, she will tire more quickly and may require intervention to assist with the birthing process. Muscles that cannot relax may also result in a birth requiring intervention. In an ideal situation, strong pelvic floor muscles with an ability to relax would better prepare a mother for a natural, vaginal birth.’”

The results will be published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics.

Read more here.