Joel Alcantara, D.C.¹ Justin Ohm, D.C.² Jeanne Ohm, D.C.³

Abstract

Objective: To report on the successful collaboration of chiropractors and midwives, we describe the care of a woman in labor with problems associated with dystocia.

Clinical Features: The patient is a 26-yr-old nulliparous female attended to during a home birth delivery with 3 midwives and her chiropractor. With lack of cervical dilation, descent and diminished uterine contractions along with
decreased fetal heart tones at 23 hours of labor, all involved decided to initiate chiropractic care with the Webster
Technique.

Interventions and Outcomes: The result of using Webster Technique was stronger and more frequent contractions with stabilized fetal heart tones. At 28 hours, the fetus was determined to be asynclitic. Synclitism describes the condition of parallelism between the plane of the pelvis and that of the fetal head. The midwives attempted various patient positioning and more homeopathic remedies, performing a surgical rupture of the patient’s membranes with recommendation of further chiropractic care. At 34 hours of labor, the attending chiropractor performed the psoas release and ½ hour later, the patient was at complete cervical dilation. The labor progressed rapidly thereafter and a healthy baby girl was born.

Conclusion: The successful birthing outcome of a patient with dystocia through the cooperative efforts of the patient’s midwives and chiropractor is described. We advocate continued co-operation in similar patients and for further investigation in this field

Key Words: Chiropractic, pregnancy, dystocia, Webster Technique, subluxation

Introduction

In 1998, Eisenberg et.al.¹ estimated that the total number of visits to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practitioners would exceed the total number of visits to primary care physicians for the next two years thereafter. Furthermore, they estimated that Americans would spend some $27 billion dollars out-of-pocket for such services. In 2002, a much larger nationwide survey by Barnes et.al.² estimated that American utilization of CAM therapies may be as high as 62% when the use of prayer healing and megavitamins were included in the types of CAM therapies used.

References

1. Research Director, International Chiropractic Pediatric Association, Media, PA
2. Private Practice of Chiropractic, Media, PA
3. Executive Director, International Chiropractic Pediatric Association, Media, PA

Matthew McCoy DC, MPH: http://www.chiropracticpediatricresearch.net