A Closer Look at How Pregnancy Can Affect Your Skeleton

Pregnancy is an amazing time. You’re creating life inside your body and, naturally, that means plenty of changes as your systems support both the baby and you. 

Producing the calcium necessary for the formation of your baby’s bones means that there may be some challenges for your own skeleton, not to mention the physical demands of carrying pregnancy-associated weight. 

At Active Care Chiropractic & Rehabilitation, your musculoskeletal health is our concern. About half of all pregnant women experience back pain at some point through pregnancy, and chiropractic care is safe for most expectant mothers. 

Today, we’ll take a closer look at how pregnancy can affect your skeleton, including what you can do to prepare and when to seek assistance along your journey toward childbirth. 

Providing for your child

Your child’s development depends on the resources you supply from the foods you eat and, when nutrients fall short, from your own body. It’s a normal part of motherhood and your baby’s development. 

When it comes to your bones, pregnancy is usually a healthy time. The hormones coursing through your body, particularly estrogen, are good for bone development and calcium absorption. 

This is good for your bone density as well as the bone development of your baby. If your obstetrician recommends calcium supplements, you’re in a great position to make the most of these extra resources. 

Post-pregnancy bone mass

After birth, your estrogen levels return to previous levels. It’s normal for you to lose some bone mass from your skeleton after your baby is born. 

It was once thought that breastfeeding robbed your body of calcium, causing this loss of bone mass, but research suggests that breastfeeding has a positive effect on bone mass throughout your life. Bone mass begins to recover when your periods return. 

In rare cases, some women develop a condition called pregnancy-associated osteoporosis (PAO). Most often affecting bones of the spine and the hips, PAO-related fractures usually affect first-time mothers, occurring at childbirth or in the three months following birth. 

PAO fractures usually heal normally; and affected mothers recover. PAO is idiopathic, meaning the causes aren’t known. Many women have normal calcium levels and no underlying bone conditions. 

Pregnancy and the musculoskeletal system

Any time that a person gains weight, the physical forces on the skeleton increase. Pregnancy is a normal time for weight gain and as your baby grows within the uterus, your center of gravity shifts forward, magnifying the effects of the extra weight on your spine. 

Your natural posture changes as your body tries to balance this front-heavy load. At the same time, hormonal changes increase laxity in tissue like ligaments and tendons, preparing your body for the delivery event. 

While this helps joints become more flexible to make delivery easier, this flexibility comes at a cost of support for the joints in your body. This is the source of the increased back pain that’s common during pregnancy. 

Chiropractic and pregnancy

Many people connect chiropractic care with relief of back pain, and it is a tangible benefit that can help you be more comfortable during pregnancy. However, that’s only one benefit offered by chiropractic adjustments. 

Chiropractic care aims to balance your body’s musculoskeletal system, in turn improving blood flow and relieving pressure on nerve tissue. Your body works more efficiently and with less pain. 

Contact the team at the nearest office of Active Care Chiropractic & Rehabilitation, by phone or online, to add us to your pregnancy support team. Book your consultation today.