Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy: Support for Back and Pelvic Pain

Pregnancy is one of the most remarkable phases of life. Your body knows exactly what it needs to do to create, nurture, and ultimately bring new life into the world. Much of this process happens naturally, but it places significant demands on your body.

And while pregnancy is often described as an almost magical time, it does not always feel that way. Your body changes rapidly. Your posture adapts. Your centre of gravity shifts. As pregnancy progresses, your body becomes increasingly active in preparing for birth.

This explains why physical complaints during pregnancy are so common.

Chiropractic care during pregnancy focuses on supporting spinal, pelvic, and nervous system function as the body adapts to physical and hormonal changes. Care is gentle, tailored, and aimed at improving comfort, mobility, and recovery.

Common Complaints During Pregnancy

Lower back pain and pelvic pain are among the most frequently reported complaints during pregnancy. This is no coincidence. As body weight increases and the centre of gravity shifts, the pelvis gradually tilts forward. This often leads to an increased curvature of the lower back, known as hyperlordosis.

Research shows that only 13–20% of pregnant women report experiencing no pain during pregnancy or in the weeks following childbirth. Despite these high numbers, many women receive little targeted support.

And yet, many of these complaints are both well understood and manageable.

Why the Pelvis Plays Such a Central Role During Pregnancy

Most physical changes during pregnancy occur in and around the pelvis. The pelvis consists of three bones that together form a strong yet functional ring. Within this bony structure lie important organs, including the uterus.

Under normal circumstances, the joints of the pelvis are highly stable and supported by strong ligaments. During pregnancy, however, the body produces the hormone relaxin. This hormone increases ligament flexibility, allowing the pelvis to adapt to the baby’s growth and to the demands of childbirth.

This increased mobility comes with a downside.

When ligaments provide less stability, the surrounding muscles must take over this role. Muscles are less suited to long-term stabilisation. They fatigue more quickly and are more prone to overload, particularly if they were already relatively weak before pregnancy.

This may result in complaints such as:

• pain around the pelvis and lower back
• pain in the hips, groin, or upper legs
• pain around the pubic bone
• radiating pain towards the knees or upper back

What Are Neuro-Functional Changes During Pregnancy?

Changes in pelvic stability can lead to subtle disruptions in how joints move and how the nervous system controls those movements. These are referred to as neuro-functional shifts.

They are not always visible on imaging, but they can influence:

• muscle tension
• posture
• load tolerance
• recovery capacity

Because the pelvis plays such a central role during pregnancy, reduced function can affect not only how you feel, but also the space and freedom of movement within the pelvic region. This may place unnecessary strain on both pregnancy and childbirth.

The Nervous System as the Conductor

Pregnancy is not a purely mechanical process. It is continuously directed and fine-tuned by the nervous system. Much like a conductor coordinating an orchestra, your nervous system regulates not only your body, but also the growth and development of your baby.

This collaboration is structural, neurological, and hormonal. That is why at UMOYA we place strong emphasis on neuro-functional balance, ideally early in pregnancy or even before conception.

The better this collaboration functions, the better the body can adapt to ongoing change.

Is Chiropractic Care Safe During Pregnancy?

Chiropractic care is widely used during pregnancy and is considered safe when provided by a qualified Chiropractor with experience in pregnancy care.

At UMOYA, we use adapted techniques and specialised treatment tables that take the physical changes of pregnancy into account. Care is always gentle and appropriate to your stage of pregnancy. Forceful techniques are never used.

What Can Chiropractic Care Offer During Pregnancy?

Pain relief without medication
Many pain medications are not recommended during pregnancy. Chiropractic care focuses on improving function and balance without the use of medication.

Staying active throughout pregnancy
When the body tolerates load more effectively, many women are able to remain active for longer and with greater comfort.

Support for the birthing process
A well-functioning pelvis and nervous system contribute to favourable conditions for a natural birth.

Postpartum recovery
After childbirth, the pelvis is subjected to significant physical stress. Timely evaluation and guidance support recovery.

Attention to neuro-functional integration
Not only you, but also your baby benefits from well-coordinated communication between the spine and nervous system.

Care Tailored to Your Pregnancy

Pregnancy requires care that is specific, gentle, and adapted to each stage. At UMOYA, we work with specialised treatment tables and techniques that take changes such as abdominal growth and breast sensitivity into account.

In addition, we continually pursue further education in pregnancy and paediatric care to ensure our guidance remains current and responsible.

Would You Like to Know Whether Chiropractic Care Is Right for You?

You are very welcome to book a no-obligation consultation to meet your Chiropractor and discuss your goals. We take the time to understand your situation and to explore how care may support you during this special phase of life.

You do not have to do it alone.
And it does not have to be unnecessarily difficult.

References:

Anrig, C. A., & Plaugher, G. (2011). Pediatric Chiropractic (Second, Re).

Borggren, C. L. (2007). Pregnancy and chiropractic: a narrative review of the literature. Journal of Chiropractic Medicine, 6(2), 70. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JCME.2007.04.004

Casagrande, D., Gugala, Z., Clark, S. M., & Lindsey, R. W. (2015). Low Back Pain and Pelvic Girdle Pain in Pregnancy. Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, 23(9), 539–549. https://doi.org/10.5435/JAAOS-D-14-00248

Liddle, S. D., & Pennick, V. (2015). Interventions for preventing and treating low-back and pelvic pain during pregnancy. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2015(9). https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD001139.pub4