Quick answer: Back and pelvic pain affects up to half of pregnant women by the third trimester, and gentle, trimester-adapted chiropractic care is generally well tolerated for it. It's not usually ACC-covered, since it develops gradually rather than from an accident.
- 28% → 48% of pregnant women get low back pain, rising by trimester
- 20–70% get pelvic girdle pain; ~10% still have it 3+ months after birth
- Care is modified per trimester — no high-velocity thrusts, side-lying positioning
- Usually a private consultation ($105 initial / $70 follow-up), not ACC
- See the red-flag symptoms below — those always need your midwife first
Written by Dr. Jun (Jun Chung) — Doctor of Chiropractic (New Zealand College of Chiropractic), NZCC- and ACC-registered, 13+ years' clinical practice including prenatal care. Medically reviewed by Dr. Michael Blandy, senior chiropractor (20+ years), Chiropractic BioPhysics (CBP) certified. Auckland Wellness Centre, Rosedale. Last updated: July 2026 · next scheduled review: July 2027.
Why pregnancy causes back and pelvic pain
Pregnancy changes your body's mechanics fast. The hormone relaxin loosens the ligaments that normally stabilise your pelvis and lower back, so joints that used to hold still now move more than they're used to. At the same time, your growing uterus shifts your centre of gravity forward, which increases the curve in your lower back and changes how your hips and pelvis share load with every step. Add in a softening pelvic ring, a stretching abdominal wall, and postural changes as your breasts and bump grow, and it's easy to see why so many different areas — low back, pelvis, hips, upper back — can become uncomfortable at different points in pregnancy.
| Type | What it feels like | Typical cause |
|---|---|---|
| Lumbar (low back) pain | Dull ache across the low back, worse by end of day | Increased curve, postural shift forward |
| Pelvic girdle pain (PGP/SPD) | Pain deep in the buttock/groin, worse walking, stairs, turning in bed | Relaxin-driven laxity of the pelvic joints |
| Sciatica-like leg pain | Pain, tingling or numbness down the back or side of one leg | Nerve irritation from muscle tension or disc |
| Round ligament pain | Sharp, brief pulling pain in the lower belly/groin on movement | Stretching of the ligaments supporting the uterus |
| Upper back & neck strain | Tightness between the shoulder blades, tension headaches | Breast growth, forward posture, disrupted sleep |
How common is this, really?
If you're hurting and starting to wonder if something's wrong with you specifically — it isn't just you. Large systematic reviews pooling data from thousands of pregnant women consistently find this is one of the most common physical complaints of pregnancy, and it tends to build as pregnancy progresses.
- Low back pain climbs through pregnancy — from around 28% in the first trimester to roughly 37% in the second and 48% by the third, according to a global meta-analysis of pregnancy back pain.
- Pelvic girdle pain (PGP) affects an estimated 20–70% of pregnant women, depending on how it's measured and defined.
- About 1 in 10 women with PGP still have symptoms more than 3 months after giving birth — postpartum recovery matters, not just the pregnancy itself.
Sources: global systematic review & meta-analysis of low back pain in pregnancy; systematic review of persistent pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain.
When to seek urgent care first (not a chiropractor)
Contact your midwife (LMC), doctor, or the nearest maternity unit immediately if you have: vaginal bleeding or fluid leaking; a sudden severe headache, vision changes, or swelling in your face or hands; your baby's movements have noticeably slowed or stopped; regular tightening or contractions before 37 weeks; or fever, chills, or severe abdominal pain. These can signal a maternity complication that needs medical assessment first — they are not something any chiropractor should try to assess or treat. The vast majority of pregnancy back and pelvic pain is not in this category, but screening for it is always the first step, and we ask about it at every visit.
Is chiropractic care safe during pregnancy?
The honest picture: systematic reviews of prenatal chiropractic care report that adverse events are rare and typically minor (like temporary soreness), with no adverse effects on the baby reported in the published literature. At the same time, the studies behind this are generally small, so a Cochrane review and a separate systematic review of chiropractic care for pregnancy-related low back and pelvic girdle pain are both careful to note the overall evidence is still limited in quality — not that care is unsafe, but that the research hasn't caught up to how commonly it's used. That's why we're upfront about this rather than overselling it. In practice, pregnancy care is modified throughout: no high-velocity spinal thrusts in areas where they're not appropriate, side-lying or pregnancy-support positioning instead of lying face-down, and techniques adjusted trimester by trimester as your body changes.
What treatment looks like at Auckland Wellness Centre
Your first visit starts with a history and the screening above, followed by an assessment of your posture, pelvic and spinal movement, and which structures are driving your specific pain — low back, pelvis, hip, or a combination. From there, care typically combines gentle, pregnancy-safe chiropractic adjustment, soft-tissue work for the muscles compensating around your changing centre of gravity, and, where appropriate, pregnancy-safe acupuncture (avoiding contraindicated points) with our women's health acupuncture team. We coordinate with your midwife or obstetrician where useful, and we'll say plainly if something is outside what chiropractic care should be addressing.
Can chiropractic help turn a breech baby?
This is one of the most common questions we get, so we'll be direct about it: some chiropractors use a specific technique (often called the Webster Technique) that aims to reduce tension around the pelvis and sacrum during pregnancy. The idea that this reliably helps a baby turn from breech is popular, but the evidence for that specific outcome is limited and inconsistent — we won't promise it will turn your baby, because that's not something the current research supports us promising. What gentle pregnancy chiropractic can reasonably help with is pelvic comfort and mobility in the lead-up to birth. If your baby is confirmed breech, the evidence-based next step is a conversation with your midwife or obstetrician about options like External Cephalic Version (ECV).
Postpartum recovery: it doesn't stop at delivery
The musculoskeletal changes of pregnancy don't reverse the moment your baby is born. Common postpartum issues we see include persistent pelvic girdle pain (affecting roughly 1 in 10 women past the 3-month mark), diastasis recti (separation of the abdominal muscles), and new aches from the physical demands of feeding and carrying a newborn — a hunched-forward feeding posture and repetitive lifting often show up as neck, upper-back, or wrist pain. Postpartum assessment looks at pelvic floor and core function, posture retraining for feeding, and gradual return to movement, adapted to whether you had a vaginal delivery or caesarean.
Is pregnancy chiropractic care covered by ACC?
Usually not — and it's worth understanding why. ACC covers injuries with a specific event and date of onset (a fall, an accident, a sudden strain) — see ACC's own guidance on injuries it doesn't cover. Pregnancy-related back and pelvic pain almost always develops gradually as your body changes over months, which doesn't meet ACC's criteria for a claim. That means pregnancy chiropractic care is typically a private consultation — at Auckland Wellness Centre, $105 for your initial visit (history, assessment, and treatment plan) and $70 for follow-ups. Southern Cross Easy-Claim is accepted directly at the clinic. The one exception: if you have a specific fall or accident during pregnancy, that injury may still be assessed for ACC cover in the usual way, separate from your ongoing pregnancy-related care.
Frequently asked questions
What trimester can I start chiropractic care? Any trimester — techniques are adapted to what's comfortable and appropriate at each stage.
Is it safe in the third trimester? Yes, with positioning adjusted for your bump (side-lying or using a pregnancy support table) and no high-velocity techniques where they're not suitable.
How soon after birth can I be treated? This depends on your delivery and recovery — we'll talk this through with you and coordinate with your midwife or GP where needed.
Will this help my baby turn from breech? We can't promise that — see above. It may help with pelvic comfort regardless.
Is pregnancy chiropractic covered by ACC or insurance? Generally not by ACC, since the pain develops gradually rather than from a specific injury. It's a private consultation ($105 initial / $70 follow-up); Southern Cross Easy-Claim is accepted directly.
Can acupuncture help alongside chiropractic care in pregnancy? Yes, pregnancy-safe acupuncture (avoiding contraindicated points) is available with our women's health team and is often used alongside chiropractic care for pain and comfort.
Book gentle pregnancy care at Auckland Wellness Centre — Rosedale, North Shore · open 7 days · private consultation from $70 · Southern Cross Easy-Claim accepted.
