The research published in the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health on December 12, 2012 documents a series of cases of breech pregnancies that were resolved following chiropractic care.
The study documented the outcomes in five cases of women who had breech pregnancies that were successfully resolved under chiropractic care utilizing Webster’s Technique. The Webster Technique is also called the “In-Uterine Constraint Technique.” The authors stated that “Webster Technique was developed by Dr. Larry L. Webster, DC [1945-1999]) to address lumbopelvic subluxations and related biomechanical improprieties.” The Webster Technique, essentially, is a specific set of adjustments that have shown remarkable results for women with breech pregnancies.
The case series reviewed 7 documented cases of women who had a breech presentation late in their pregnancy, and were helped with chiropractic. Several of the cases presented in the study were very striking in their results.
In one of the more interesting cases, a 21-year-old woman was told just one day before her due date that her baby had turned and was now stuck in a breech position. Her physician told her that she needed an immediate “external cephalic version” (ECV – a forceful procedure used to try to turn a baby in-uterine) procedure as she and the baby were in grave danger.
The woman scheduled the ECV procedure, but went to a chiropractor before the scheduled appointment. Due to the closeness of her delivery time, the chiropractor performed the Webster technique three times that day. The next morning, the woman was scheduled for the EVC procedure and was to undergo an ultrasound prior to the EVC to determine the baby’s positioning.
The authors of the study best described the next set of events. “During the ultrasound procedure, the OB-GYNE began ‘flicking’ his finger at the screen as if to test whether it was working or not. For some reason he could not find the head in its previous position just 24 hours prior. Instead, with a sense of disbelief, the medical doctor stated, ‘I don’t believe this; the baby is in the proper vertex position’.”
In the conclusion of the study, the authors wrote, “This presentation contributes to the knowledge base that pregnant patients may derive benefits from chiropractic care beyond low back pain.”
