A documented case study showing chiropractic care helping a breech pregnancy was published on April 7, 2008, in the scientific periodical, the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research (JVSR). In this case, a 28 year old woman returned to the chiropractor in her 34th week of pregnancy. She had previously been receiving chiropractic care for headaches and sacroiliac pain.
In week 34 of her pregnancy, the woman’s nurse midwife recommended that she return for chiropractic care after it was discovered that the presentation of her current pregnancy was breech. She had previously carried her first pregnancy in a breech presentation until 37 weeks until seeking chiropractic care.
This study notes that approximately 3%-5% of term pregnancies in the United States result in a breech presentation, while 80%-100% of those breech presenting fetus? are delivered by cesarean section. Breech presentation is when a fetus is set up for the birth with the buttocks or feet rather toward the birth canal rather than the normal head first, known as the “cephalic presentation”.
Upon chiropractic examination, the breech presentation was confirmed and the chiropractic analysis and procedure known as the “Webster Technique” was utilized to determine intrauterine constraint and initiate correction.
Two days after receiving chiropractic care using the Webster Technique, the woman returned to her nurse midwife for her follow up visit. That examination showed that the fetus had turned to a normal presentation. In the conclusion of this case report, the chiropractor, Dr. John Cameron Thomas noted, “The importance of preventing intrauterine constraint and cesarean section deliveries is apparent. For women who desire to deliver vaginally, there are options that can be performed before having a scheduled cesarean section.”
