Chiropractic Resolution of Breech Presentation Confirmed by Ultrasound

The Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health published the results of a case study on June 3, 2022, documenting the successful resolution of a breech pregnancy with chiropractic care. The correction was documented using before and after ultrasound studies.

The American Pregnancy Association describes a breech presentation by explaining, "In the last weeks of pregnancy, a baby usually moves so his or her head is positioned to come out of the vagina first during birth. This is called a vertex presentation. A breech presentation occurs when the baby’s buttocks, feet, or both are positioned to come out first during birth. This happens in 3–4% of full-term births."

In this case, a 30-year-old woman who was in her 39th week of pregnancy with her fifth child, went to a chiropractor. Her OB/GYN had confirmed via ultrasound that her baby was breech. Although she had never been to a chiropractor before, she decided to seek chiropractic care because of the positive results other patients have had, and because she had learned about the positive results from the Webster Technique.

According to the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association, "The Webster Technique is a specific chiropractic sacral analysis and diversified adjustment. The goal of the adjustment is to reduce the effects of sacral subluxation/ SI joint dysfunction. In doing so, neuro-biomechanical function in the pelvis is facilitated." The process is gentle and painless and causes the baby to move into a proper position on its own.

The woman’s OB/GYN has suggested an external cephalic version, (ECV). An ECV is where the MD presses the woman's pregnant belly in an attempt to externally move the baby into a proper position. After learning of the risk of this procedure, the woman decided not to go this route and instead went to the chiropractor.

The woman received a chiropractic examination followed by a chiropractic adjustment which included the Webster Technique. Following her second chiropractic adjustment, the woman reported that she noticed a lot of movement of the baby. Shortly after this, she scheduled another visit with her OB/GYN who performed an ultrasound and confirmed that the baby had moved into the correct vertex position. Within 48 hours, the woman went into labor and delivered a baby girl through a normal vaginal birth.

In the study conclusion, the authors summed up the case by stating, "In this case the baby’s position was confirmed to be breech via ultrasound before Webster Technique was administered and ultrasound then confirmed the baby to have moved into the vertex position after the technique was applied. The changes took place in a short amount of time once the patient started under chiropractic care and was otherwise not doing anything differently in her daily life."