pregnancy
Chiropractic Prenatal Care: A Case Series Illustrating
The Need for Special Equipment, Examination Procedures,
Techniques and Supportive Therapies for the Pregnant Patient
By Pene Kunau, D.C.
Objective: This paper presents special
equipment, examination procedures, low-force and soft tissue
techniques and supportive therapies useful in providing chiropractic
prenatal care. Fourteen case studies are presented to illustrate
the benefits of using such specialized procedures.
Design: A case series
Setting: Private practice
Patients: Fourteen pregnant women with
a variety of complaints and findings
Conclusion: Chiropractic
prenatal care should include more than the "standard" orthopedic-neurologic
exam and spinal adjustment. This population has special needs
in terms of testing and treatment modalities. Chiropractors
are considered primary contact providers in most states and
may be well positioned to offer alternative prenatal care.
However, we must become educated in differentiating between
the appropriateness of alternative methods versus medical
treatment in each case. (JCCP, Volume 4, Number 1, May 1999)
Key Terms: chiropractic, pre-natal
care, pregnancy, in-utero constraint, equipment, examination,
techniques