Is Chiropractic Safe During Pregnancy? What Dr Ben Tells His Patients
Quick answer: The research suggests chiropractic care is low-risk during pregnancy when it is given by a practitioner trained in pregnancy care. In my 18 years of clinical practice, I have never had an adverse event with any pregnant patient — not one. Over a thousand pregnant ladies have come through my clinic, and every single one has been safe. Gentle, specific adjustments help many women with mechanical low back and pelvic pain, and care works best alongside your midwife or obstetrician, not instead of them.
Key takeaways
Research so far, mostly small studies, suggests chiropractic care in pregnancy is low-risk when given by a trained practitioner.
A study that monitored the baby's heart rate during chiropractic care found stable results.
Gentle, specific adjustments can help many women with pregnancy-related low back and pelvic discomfort.
Every pregnant patient should be assessed for reasons not to adjust before care begins.
Your midwife or obstetrician stays at the centre of your care. Chiropractic works alongside them.
Is chiropractic care safe during pregnancy?
For most pregnant women, chiropractic care adapted for pregnancy is considered low-risk.
This is one of the questions I hear most often in my clinic, and it is a good one to ask. When you are pregnant, you think about every decision twice, because you are deciding for two. A 2023 best-practice guideline by Alcantara, Kent and McCoy describes chiropractic care as a safe option for managing mechanical low back and pelvic pain in pregnancy, provided it is delivered by trained practitioners and coordinated with the rest of your care team.
"Adapted for pregnancy" matters. A pregnancy adjustment is gentler and more specific than many people expect. I use pregnancy pillows or a table that lets you lie comfortably without pressure on your bump, side-lying positions, and low-force techniques. Nothing about it should feel forceful.
What does the research actually show?
The evidence is encouraging, but it is still early and mostly small in scale.
Here is a fair summary of what we know:
The baby's wellbeing. Edwards, Union and Alcantara (2022) reviewed fetal heart rate monitoring in 33 pregnant women receiving chiropractic and midwifery care. The heart rate outcomes were stable, which suggests the care did not distress the unborn baby. The authors describe this as a preliminary finding.
Safety overall. Across the reviewed studies, no adverse events were reported when care was given by trained professionals.
Pelvic positioning. Two case reports, Alcantara, Martingano and Keeler (2011) and Stone-McCoy, Sell and Drwencke (2012), describe a pregnancy-specific approach called the Webster Technique and report changes in babies' position in the women studied. These are case reports, not controlled trials, so they cannot show cause and effect.
The research says what it says — much of it is case series and small studies, and more high-quality research is needed. And in my clinical experience, with over a thousand pregnant ladies over 18 years from preconception through to the day of birth and beyond, the results have been great. That is why I always work alongside your midwife or obstetrician.
Why does pregnancy put so much load on the back and pelvis?
Your body changes its structure quickly to make room for your baby, and your spine and pelvis absorb that change.
As your bump grows, your centre of gravity moves forward. The curve in your lower back usually deepens, the pelvis tilts, and the ligaments around the pelvis become looser to prepare for birth. The joints of the pelvis, the sacroiliac joints especially, carry more load and move differently.
Your body is remarkably good at adapting to this. But when a joint becomes restricted or the pelvis loads unevenly, many women feel it as an ache in the lower back, a sharp pain at the back of the pelvis, discomfort turning over in bed, or pain climbing stairs. Add long days sitting between the office and the car, as many of my patients in Dubai do, and the load builds.
What happens at a pregnancy chiropractic visit?
A first visit is a careful conversation and assessment before any adjustment is considered.
History. I ask about your pregnancy so far, how many weeks you are, any complications, and what your midwife or obstetrician has told you.
Checking for reasons not to adjust. Some pregnancy situations mean chiropractic care is not appropriate, or not yet. These are screened for before treatment begins. If anything needs your doctor's input, we pause and check with them first.
Assessment. I look at how your pelvis, lower back and hips are moving, and where a joint is restricted.
Gentle, specific adjustment. Only where it is needed, in a comfortable position, with low force.
Practical advice. How to sit, sleep and move in the weeks ahead.
At Heal Hub, a first visit is 45 minutes and follow-up adjustments are around 15 minutes.
What is the Webster Technique?
The Webster Technique is a specific chiropractic approach for assessing and adjusting the pelvis and sacrum during pregnancy.
It focuses on the low back and pelvis: checking for restrictions in the sacrum and pelvic joints, gently adjusting them, and easing tension in the surrounding soft tissue. The aim is a pelvis that moves and balances well. Its use in breech presentation has been described in small case reports, but this is not established, and any concern about your baby's position belongs with your obstetrician or midwife first.
How does Dr Ben approach it?
The way I look at it, my job is not to force your body into a shape. It is to remove what gets in the way so your body can do what it is designed to do.
I have come to see pregnancy as one of the clearest examples of the body's ability to adapt. Your pelvis is the foundation your spine sits on. When it moves well, your nervous system receives clear information about position and movement, and your body adapts more easily. When a joint is stuck, that information gets noisy, and you tend to feel more strain.
So I keep my care precise. I find the specific joints that are not moving, I adjust only those, and I check how your body responds. Gentle and specific beats more and harder, especially in pregnancy.
Care in my clinic also goes beyond the table:
Move every day. Walking and gentle movement, as your midwife or doctor advises.
Break up sitting. Stand and move every 30 to 45 minutes if you work at a desk.
Rest and manage stress. A calmer nervous system copes better with the load of pregnancy.
Eat simply and well. Whole foods support your recovery and your energy.
Lean on people. Feeling supported matters more than most people realise.
When should I see someone?
Any worrying symptom in pregnancy goes to your midwife or obstetrician first, and some need urgent care.
Contact your midwife, obstetrician or emergency services straight away if you notice bleeding, fluid leaking, reduced movement from your baby, severe or constant abdominal pain, a severe headache or changes in your vision, sudden swelling of your face or hands, or fever. Back pain that comes in regular waves can also be a sign of labour and should be checked.
Book a chiropractic assessment when you have back or pelvic aches that make sitting, sleeping or walking harder, and your pregnancy care team has no concerns. If your pain persists, gets worse, or changes, get checked.
Frequently asked questions
Can a chiropractic adjustment harm my baby?
In the studies reviewed so far, no adverse events were reported. In my clinical practice with over a thousand pregnant patients, I have never had an adverse event — not one. Pregnancy adjustments are gentle, low-force, and avoid pressure on your bump. Every patient is assessed for reasons not to adjust first. Many of my pregnant patients tell me they love lying down during their visit — it's often the only time all day they get to just rest and let someone else take care of them.
Is there a trimester when I shouldn't see a chiropractor?
There is no single cut-off; it depends on you and your pregnancy. I assess every pregnant patient individually and work with your midwife or obstetrician. If there is any doubt, we wait and check with them.
Do I have to lie on my stomach?
No. I use pregnancy pillows, side-lying positions, or a table set up for your bump, so you stay comfortable and supported throughout.
Can chiropractic turn a breech baby?
A few small case reports describe babies changing position after the Webster Technique, but this has not been proven. If your baby is breech, your obstetrician or midwife should guide that decision. I can look after your pelvic comfort alongside their care.
Should I tell my doctor I'm seeing a chiropractor?
Yes, please do. I prefer to work as part of your team, and good communication between your chiropractor and your midwife or obstetrician keeps your care safe.
About the author
Dr Ben is a chiropractor at Heal Hub in Umm Suqeim, Dubai.
If pregnancy back or pelvic pain is making daily life harder, book a first visit with me at Heal Hub: drbentinker.com/booking-calendar/new-patient-first-visit
References
Edwards, Union, Alcantara (2022). Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring of 33 Pregnant Women Undergoing Chiropractic & Midwifery Care: A Retrospective Analysis of Outcomes & Review of Literature.
Alcantara, Kent, McCoy (2023). Best Practices for Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy.
Alcantara, Martingano, Keeler (2011). Resolution of Breech Presentations Following Adjustment of Subluxations Utilizing the Webster Technique: A Case Series.
Stone-McCoy, Sell, Drwencke (2012). Resolution of Breech Presentation and Successful Vaginal Birth Following Administration of Webster's Technique: A Case Study.
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