Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Breech means C-section... maybe not

Breech Means C-Section? Maybe Not…..

A breech birth (aka “breech presentation”) refers to the position of the baby in the uterus. These babies will be delivered buttocks first instead of the normal head down (vertex) position. The risk of breech presentation is small, with research showing approximately 4% of full-term (38-42 weeks) pregnancies being breech.

In the 1990’s, some breech babies were still delivered naturally. Beginning in 2003, almost all hospitals declared a halt to delivering breech babies vaginally and began using c-section 100% of the time. But what about the woman who doesn’t want a c-section? Is this the only way?

Chiropractic care, using the Webster Technique, may help prevent a c-section. This is a technique where specific chiropractic adjustments allow for balance in the pregnant woman’s pelvis and reduce unnecessary stress to her uterus and supporting ligaments. This makes it easier for a breech baby to turn naturally.

The Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics reported, in the July/August 2002 issue, an 82% success rate of babies turning vertex (head down) when doctors of chiropractic used the Webster Technique.

Currently, the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association recommends that women receive chiropractic care throughout pregnancy to create pelvic balance and optimize the room a baby has for development throughout pregnancy. Breech presentation may be avoided altogether, resulting in easier and safer deliveries for both the mother and baby.

1 comment:

  1. I appreciate all of the information that you have shared. Thank you for the hard work!
    - chiropractic beverly ma

    ReplyDelete