Prenatal Chiropractic Care

A prenatal chiropractor who understands the shifts in your musculoskeletal system can make a real difference throughout your pregnancy journey. Your growing baby shifts your center of gravity forward while pregnancy hormones loosen the ligaments in your pelvis and spinal column. This creates conditions that frequently lead to lower back pain, pelvic discomfort, and posture changes that affect your daily comfort and movement.

Learn About Prenatal Chiropractic Care

Prenatal chiropractic care is described by Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology as a commonly used treatment modality for musculoskeletal pain in pregnancy. Low back pain, pelvic pain, and other neuromuscular complaints are prevalent in pregnancy and contribute to significant maternal discomfort in many women.

One of the most established tools in prenatal chiropractic care is the Webster Technique, which has roots going back to the 1980s. According to its Wikipedia entry, The Webster Technique first appeared in 1986 as developed by its namesake, Larry Webster, D.C. Webster was the founder of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA).

Request Appointment

Meet the Doctor

Dr. Karlie Wauhob, DC focuses on prenatal care at Hands of Health Chiropractic. She graduated from Cal State San Bernardino and earned her Doctorate from Southern California University of Health Sciences. Dr. Wauhob is Webster Certified, which means she has completed advanced training in perinatal adjustments and pediatric chiropractic care techniques. She has experience in prenatal care, postpartum care, athletic recovery, and advanced therapies including shockwave and magnetotherapy. She focuses on helping patients feel mobile, balanced, and comfortable throughout pregnancy and beyond.

Learn About Your Doctor!

Conditions, Symptoms, and Pain

The physical demands of carrying a developing baby put real stress on the musculoskeletal system and nervous system alike. A 2025 review in Bioengineering found that increased lumbar lordosis, ligamentous laxity, altered gait mechanics, and muscular deconditioning elevate mechanical load on the lumbar spine, predisposing up to 56% of pregnant individuals to low back pain. As your uterus expands, it pulls your pelvis into an anterior tilt while your ribcage flares out to allow for lung expansion. These changes disrupt spinal alignment and force your spinal column into increased lumbar curvature. This often leads to muscle fatigue in your lower back, SI joint, hip flexors, and deep pelvic floor muscles. chiropractic adjustments focus on adjusting misaligned joints and reducing nervous system stress to support proper function as your body adapts.

Recognizing the Problem

Pregnancy discomfort tends to build gradually, making it hard to tell normal changes apart from issues that need professional attention. A 2023 review in Obstetrics & Gynecology Survey notes that pelvic girdle pain in pregnancy is a common condition that is often overlooked as a normal part of pregnancy but has a significant impact on quality of life during, after, and in subsequent pregnancies. Signs that your musculoskeletal system needs support include disrupted pelvic balance, sharp pain when moving from sitting to standing, and difficulty rolling over in bed. Radiating discomfort from your lower back into your hips or thighs is another indicator, as is persistent tension in your neck and shoulders from posture changes. You may also notice increased fatigue from simple activities or find that positions that used to feel comfortable no longer give you relief.

When should you seek a Professional?

Seek care when pregnancy-related discomfort starts to limit your daily activities or disrupt your sleep for more than a few consecutive days. The same review confirms that multimodal therapies are available and are largely low cost and noninvasive, so there is no reason to push through discomfort when accessible options exist. The second trimester is often the best time to begin care. Morning sickness typically fades by then, while hormonal changes increase joint mobility and postural demands grow. Third-trimester care plays a direct role in preparing the pelvis for labor and delivery, and research suggests it may contribute to shorter labor times and a smoother vaginal birth.

Speak With A Professional!

Prevention and Hygiene Education

Staying on top of pregnancy wellness means paying attention to how you move and building daily habits that support your changing body. A 2024 meta-analysis in the International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics found that the combination of exercise and education is more effective in reducing pain and disability in pregnant women with low back and/or pelvic pain than education alone. Your growing belly shifts your weight forward, requiring more work from your deep abdominal and back muscles to keep you upright. Regular spinal adjustments support spinal alignment between visits and work well alongside the home habits described here. Practice the pelvic tilt exercise regularly to strengthen your stabilizing muscles. Avoid prolonged standing in one position, which compresses your lower spine. When lifting objects, squat down and use your leg muscles rather than bending at your waist. Some patients also benefit from spinal decompression to relieve pressure on discs that carry extra load during pregnancy.

Popular Home Remedies

Many expectant mothers turn to heat therapy, prenatal yoga, and sleep positioning adjustments to manage discomfort along their pregnancy journey. A 2025 systematic review found that yoga is consistently effective in reducing back pain, reducing anxiety, and improving sleep quality in pregnant women, especially in the second and third trimesters. Warm compresses on your lower back for 15 to 20 minutes can help relax tight muscles. Prenatal yoga poses like cat-cow stretches and child’s pose add gentle spinal mobility. Side-lying with a pillow between your knees and another supporting your belly helps keep your spine in a neutral position during sleep. Swimming in warm water offers especially effective relief, with buoyancy reducing gravitational stress on your spine and pelvis.

What the Research Says

Clinical studies show that exercises targeting core stability and pelvic floor function do more for pregnancy-related back pain than standard prenatal care alone. A 2023 randomized controlled trial in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics confirmed that the addition of core stability exercises was more effective than the usual care alone in pain relief, improving disability, and quality of life of pregnant women with LPG pain. Research on heat therapy shows that localized use on the back and hips is generally safe when temperatures stay below 102°F and sessions stay under 20 minutes. Depending on your presentation, providers may also incorporate cranial adjustments to address tension in the head and neck that develops from postural changes in pregnancy. Studies also note that some yoga poses may not be right after the first trimester, particularly those involving deep twisting or lying face-down.

Cost and Insurance

This care typically falls within standard service ranges, and many insurance plans cover chiropractic care when it is medically necessary during pregnancy. Most patients find the cost manageable given the impact it can have on day-to-day comfort.

Industry Average Pricing

Prenatal chiropractic adjustments are generally priced in line with standard chiropractic visits. Initial consultations typically run between $100 and $200, while follow-up adjustment visits usually fall in the $30 to $80 range. Longer visits that include soft tissue work or additional therapies may cost more. These are broad industry estimates and won’t reflect exact pricing at every practice. Call our office directly for current rates and to find out what your care plan would involve.

Common Insurance Providers

Insurance coverage for prenatal chiropractic care varies widely depending on your plan. Private insurance and Medicaid are the most common coverage types for prenatal patients. Medicare.gov confirms that Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) covers certain chiropractic services, and many private plans follow similar coverage structures for spinal manipulation. Coverage terms, copays, and visit limits differ significantly between plans. Call our team before your first visit and we’ll help verify what your insurance covers.

Speak With A Professional!

Visit Our Prenatal Chiropractor For a More Comfortable Pregnancy!

Pregnancy moves fast, and waiting for discomfort to become a serious problem only makes it harder to treat. The team at Hands of Health Chiropractic is here to help you stay mobile, support a healthy labor and delivery, and feel like yourself from your first trimester through postpartum care.

Request Appointment

FAQs

Can adjustments harm my baby during pregnancy?

Prenatal chiropractic adjustments use gentle, low-force methods specifically designed for pregnant women. Specially designed adjusting tables accommodate your growing belly, and positioning is carefully adapted at each stage. The adjustments avoid pressure on your abdomen to keep your baby safe throughout treatment.

Will this care help with my sciatica during pregnancy?

Pregnancy-related sciatica often results from pelvic misalignment or tight muscles pressing on your sciatic nerve. Spinal adjustments can help restore proper pelvic positioning and reduce muscle tension that contributes to sciatic pain. Addressing SI joint dysfunction is often a central part of resolving pregnancy-related nerve pain.

How does the Webster Technique specifically help during pregnancy?

Webster’s technique focuses on restoring pelvic balance and reducing tension in your round ligaments and pelvic muscles. This sacral adjustment approach supports better fetal positioning and more comfortable movement in the uterus. Some providers also incorporate Logan’s technique, which targets the base of the sacrum, as a complementary approach to pelvic alignment.

Can this care help if my baby is in breech position?

Practitioners cannot directly turn a breech baby, but Webster’s technique may help improve pelvic alignment and reduce intrauterine constraint, potentially giving your baby more room to shift into proper fetal positioning on its own.

Is it normal to feel sore after prenatal treatment?

Mild soreness after prenatal adjustments is normal as your muscles and joints adapt to improved alignment. It typically fades within 24 to 48 hours and often means your body is responding well to treatment.