Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy in Tulsa: What to Expect

Reviewed by Dr. Jason Forward, DC · Licensed Chiropractor · Vanguard Chiropractic, Brookside Tulsa · Last reviewed: May 6, 2026

Webster Technique, Webster Certification, and What We Actually Offer

Many expecting mothers in Tulsa search for a "Webster certified chiropractor" and land on this page. Here is the honest answer, up front. I am not Webster certified. Webster certification is a specific continuing education credential administered by the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) that covers a particular approach to sacral and pelvic analysis for pregnant patients.

What I do provide is pelvic balancing and sacral adjustment technique that is standard to prenatal chiropractic training. The techniques I use on pregnant patients restore motion to restricted lumbar and sacral segments, reduce the asymmetric pelvic torsion that drives round ligament pain, and address the postural compensations your body is making as your center of gravity shifts forward each week.

If Webster certification specifically is a requirement of your care plan, your midwife, or your obstetrician, I respect that and will refer you out to a local Webster certified DC. If what you are looking for is a licensed Doctor of Chiropractic who adjusts pregnant patients carefully, listens first, and has more than 306 five star Google reviews from Tulsa patients, you are in the right place.

• Am I Webster certified? No.
• Do I adjust pregnant patients? Yes, at every trimester when clinically appropriate.
• What technique do I use? Pelvic balancing, sacral adjustment, lumbar mobilization, soft tissue work. Side lying adjustments in later trimesters.
• Cost? $40. Same price every visit. Walk ins welcome.

For deeper clinical FAQ comparing Webster technique to what I do, see the FAQ section below.

Why Pregnancy Causes Back and Pelvic Pain

Low back pain affects somewhere between 50% and 80% of pregnant women at some point during their pregnancy. That is not a coincidence. Pregnancy puts a unique set of mechanical and hormonal demands on your spine and pelvis that are unlike anything else your body goes through.

Here is what is actually happening:

Your center of gravity shifts forward

As your belly grows, your center of mass moves forward. To stay upright, your lower back compensates by increasing its curve (lumbar lordosis). This puts more compression on the facet joints and the lower lumbar segments, particularly L4-L5 and L5-S1. That is where most pregnancy-related low back pain originates.

Relaxin loosens your ligaments

Your body produces a hormone called relaxin during pregnancy. Its job is to loosen the ligaments in your pelvis to allow for delivery. The problem is that relaxin also affects ligaments throughout your spine. Joints that were previously stable can become hypermobile. Muscles work overtime to compensate. That overtime leads to pain, spasm, and fatigue.

The sacroiliac joints take on extra stress

The sacroiliac (SI) joints sit at the base of your spine where your sacrum meets your pelvis. As your pelvis shifts to accommodate a growing baby, SI joint stress increases. When the SI joints lose their normal symmetry, you get the classic deep aching pain in the low back and buttock that many pregnant women describe.

Your pelvic floor and hip muscles tighten

Postural changes during pregnancy can tighten the piriformis, a deep hip muscle that sits right next to the sciatic nerve. When the piriformis tightens, it can irritate or compress the sciatic nerve, causing that shooting, burning, or tingling pain down the back of your leg. This is extremely common in the second and third trimester.

Is Chiropractic Safe During Pregnancy?

For most pregnant women, yes. The research supports chiropractic care as a safe option for pregnancy-related musculoskeletal pain, with appropriate technique modifications.

A 2021 review published in Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology examined chiropractic use in obstetrics and described it as a commonly used, nonpharmacologic option for musculoskeletal pain during pregnancy. The authors noted its increasing importance as concern about opioid use during pregnancy grows. (Conner et al., 2021, PMID 33882524)

A 2020 systematic review in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics analyzed 50 studies on manual therapy for pregnancy-related low back and pelvic pain. The reviewers found favorable evidence for manual therapy approaches and no serious adverse events reported in the studies included. (Weis et al., 2020, PMID 32900544)

The key word in the safety equation is appropriate technique. Standard high-velocity adjustments that put a pregnant patient face-down on a flat table are not the right approach. Adjustments during pregnancy use modified positions, lighter pressure, and pregnancy-specific techniques focused on the pelvis and sacrum.

I also want to be honest about what I am not. I am not an OB. I am not a midwife. Chiropractic care during pregnancy should be one part of your overall prenatal care, not a replacement for your primary prenatal provider. I always encourage pregnant patients to talk with their OB or midwife before starting care.

For more information on chiropractic safety broadly, read what the research actually shows about chiropractic safety.

What Trimester to Start

You can come in at any point during your pregnancy. There is no trimester that is automatically off-limits. That said, the timing of when to start often comes down to when your symptoms start, which varies by patient.

First trimester

Some women come in early, especially if they had existing back or pelvic issues before getting pregnant. In the first trimester, your belly is not yet big enough to require significant positioning changes. Care is generally straightforward. I am mindful of abdominal pressure and keep techniques gentle, but first-trimester adjustments are not dramatically different from standard care.

If you are experiencing severe morning sickness, some women find that their first trimester is not the time to add anything new to their routine. That is completely understandable. There is no urgency to start in the first trimester unless you are already in pain.

Second trimester

The second trimester is when most pregnant patients start experiencing back and pelvic pain for the first time. The belly is growing, relaxin levels are elevated, and postural changes are accelerating. This is the most common time I see new prenatal patients come in. Starting care in the second trimester, when pain first appears, tends to produce the best outcomes because you are addressing the mechanical problem before it becomes entrenched.

Third trimester

Third-trimester care is very common and safe with proper positioning. As your belly grows, lying flat on your back is not comfortable or advisable for extended periods, so adjustments are done side-lying or with a specially designed pregnancy pillow that accommodates your belly. Pelvic balancing becomes particularly relevant in the third trimester as pelvic alignment may influence the space available in the birth canal.

How Adjustments Change for Pregnant Patients

This is one of the most common questions I get. The answer is: adjustments during pregnancy look quite different from standard adjustments.

Positioning

Standard chiropractic tables are not designed for pregnant bodies. My table adjusts to accommodate a pregnant belly so you can lie face-down comfortably and safely well into the third trimester, with zero pressure on your abdomen. When the belly gets too large for face-down positioning late in pregnancy, I use side-lying positioning or support pillows. Every adjustment is set up for your gestational week.

Pelvic balancing techniques

The focus of prenatal chiropractic care at Vanguard Chiropractic is pelvic balance. The pelvis is a ring structure made up of three joints: the two SI joints on either side and the pubic symphysis in the front. When any of these joints loses its normal position or motion, the entire ring is affected. I use drop table technique for pelvic alignment during pregnancy. The drop table uses a segmented table with piece sections that release under precise, low-force pressure. The drop takes up most of the mechanical input, so the amount of force I apply to your body is minimal. This is especially useful during pregnancy when relaxin has already loosened your ligaments and standard high-velocity adjustments are not appropriate.

This is different from a standard lumbar adjustment. It is not about getting a loud pop. It is about restoring the subtle movement patterns in the pelvic joints that your body depends on, especially under the hormonal and postural demands of pregnancy.

Sacral adjustment techniques designed for pregnancy

The sacrum is the triangular bone at the base of your spine. During pregnancy, sacral alignment is particularly important because of the ligament attachments that connect the sacrum to the uterus. When the sacrum is torqued or restricted, those ligament attachments can create uneven tension. Sacral adjustment techniques designed for pregnancy focus on restoring normal sacral movement using gentle, specific force directed at the sacrum itself, with the patient in a comfortable side-lying position.

Pressure and force

Adjustments during pregnancy generally use less force than standard adjustments. Relaxin has already made your ligaments more pliable. Your body needs less mechanical input to respond. I adjust my technique based on how your body is presenting that day, not a one-size-fits-all protocol.

What I do not do during pregnancy

I do not perform high-velocity rotational adjustments to the lumbar spine with a pregnant patient lying flat on her back. I do not apply pressure directly to the abdomen. I do not use techniques that require you to be in a position that is uncomfortable or that puts any stress on the baby.

For more on what a standard adjustment involves, see what a chiropractic adjustment actually does.

What Conditions Prenatal Chiropractic May Help

The following are the most common reasons pregnant women come to see me at Vanguard Chiropractic in Tulsa. I am careful to say "may help" because individual results vary, and chiropractic is not the solution to every pregnancy complaint. But these are conditions with a mechanical component that chiropractic care is well-suited to address.

How Often to Come In

There is no universal answer. Visit frequency during pregnancy depends on how much pain you are in, how far along you are, and how your body responds to care.

Here is how I typically approach it:

Acute pain

If you come in with significant low back or pelvic pain, I usually recommend 2-3 visits in the first week to address the acute phase. Once pain starts to reduce, we back off the frequency. For most patients, acute pregnancy pain responds quickly, often within 3-5 visits.

Ongoing maintenance during pregnancy

Some patients want to come in every 2-4 weeks throughout their pregnancy to keep the pelvis balanced and stay ahead of the postural changes. This is a reasonable approach, especially if you are physically active or had back problems before getting pregnant. It is not required, but many patients find it helpful.

Third-trimester focus

I see a lot of patients in the final 6-8 weeks of pregnancy as pelvic pressure increases. Visit frequency often picks up in this phase. Some patients come weekly in their last month.

At $40 per visit with no insurance needed and no appointment required, coming in when you need it is financially accessible. See pricing details.

You can also walk in any time without an appointment. If your back suddenly locks up at 32 weeks, you do not have to wait a week to get in.

What to Expect at Your Visit

If this is your first time coming in, here is exactly what the visit looks like. There are no surprises.

Total visit time for a new patient: about 45 minutes. Return visits run 20-30 minutes.

Walk-ins are welcome. No appointment needed. Read more about what to expect at your first visit.

Cost is $40 per visit. Cash, card, and HSA/FSA accepted. No insurance needed.

I also treat patients of all ages, including newborns, if you are thinking ahead about care for your baby after delivery. See all conditions treated at Vanguard Chiropractic.

When NOT to Get Adjusted During Pregnancy

Chiropractic care is appropriate for most pregnant women. But there are situations where it is contraindicated or where you should get medical clearance first. I take this seriously.

If you have any of these conditions, chiropractic is not where you need to be. Get to your OB or emergency care first.

If you have a high-risk pregnancy, talk with your OB or midwife before starting chiropractic care. In most cases, they will give you the green light. But I want their input and yours before proceeding. Your safety during pregnancy is not something I take shortcuts with.

For a broader look at chiropractic safety, read the research on chiropractic safety here.

You can also read more about how chiropractic affects the nervous system if you want a deeper understanding of the mechanism behind what adjustments do.

About Dr. Jason Forward

I am the owner and chiropractor at Vanguard Chiropractic in Brookside, Tulsa. I opened Vanguard Chiropractic in December 2024 with a straightforward premise: affordable, cash-pay chiropractic without the upsell, the long contracts, or the inflated prices.

I see patients of all ages, including pregnant women and newborns. My approach to prenatal care focuses on pelvic balance and sacral alignment using techniques designed specifically for pregnancy. Each visit is hands-on, specific, and adapted to what your body needs that day.

At $40 a visit with no insurance needed and no appointment required, Vanguard is built to be accessible. That matters a lot when you are pregnant, because you should not have to choose between your budget and your comfort.

Clinical Approach to Prenatal Adjustments

Positioning for pregnant patients

Standard chiropractic adjustments often involve lying face-down on a flat table. That is not comfortable or safe past the first trimester when your belly is growing. I use side-lying positioning for most pregnant patients, which is both comfortable and effective. For some adjustments, patients sit upright or use a pregnancy support pillow that allows them to lie face-down without putting any pressure on the abdomen.

Webster certification: clear disclosure

I am not Webster certified. Webster certification is a specific continuing education credential issued by the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA). I have not completed that program and do not hold that credential. The pelvic balancing and sacral adjustment techniques I use during pregnancy are based on standard chiropractic training. They focus on the same goal of restoring pelvic symmetry and sacral motion, but they are not the certified Webster protocol. If you are specifically looking for a Webster-certified provider in Tulsa, I'm glad to refer you to one. Call the office and ask.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to see a chiropractor during pregnancy?

For most pregnant women, yes. Research supports chiropractic care as a safe, nonpharmacologic option for pregnancy-related musculoskeletal pain when appropriate technique modifications are used. Adjustments during pregnancy use modified positioning, lighter pressure, and pelvic-focused techniques rather than standard spinal manipulation. If you have a high-risk pregnancy or complications, talk with your OB or midwife before starting care.

When should I start seeing a prenatal chiropractor?

You can start at any trimester. Most pregnant patients come in when pain first appears, which is often in the second trimester as the belly grows and postural changes accelerate. If you had back or pelvic issues before pregnancy, starting in the first trimester makes sense. Third-trimester care is also very common, particularly for pelvic pressure and sciatica.

What does a prenatal adjustment feel like compared to a regular adjustment?

Gentler and differently positioned. You will not be lying flat on your stomach. Adjustments are done side-lying or with support pillows. The pressure used is lighter than a standard adjustment because relaxin has already loosened your ligaments. You may still hear and feel the joint cavitation (the pop), but technique is focused specifically on the pelvis and sacrum rather than the full spine.

Can chiropractic help with sciatica during pregnancy?

It may. Pregnancy-related sciatica is often caused by tightness in the piriformis muscle or sacral misalignment irritating the sciatic nerve. Sacral adjustment techniques and pelvic balancing can address both of those mechanical causes. Many patients notice significant reduction in sciatic symptoms within a few visits. Results vary. Read more about sciatica care.

Do I need a referral from my OB to see a chiropractor while pregnant?

No. In Oklahoma, you can see a chiropractor without a referral. You do not need your OB's permission to come in. That said, I always encourage pregnant patients to let their OB know they are receiving chiropractic care. Open communication with your entire prenatal care team is good practice. Learn more about seeing a chiropractor without a referral in Oklahoma.

How much does prenatal chiropractic cost at Vanguard Chiropractic?

$40 per visit, same as all other care at Vanguard Chiropractic. No insurance is accepted or needed. Cash, credit, and HSA/FSA are welcome. See the full cost breakdown.

Do I need an appointment?

No. Vanguard Chiropractic is a walk-in clinic. You can come in any time during open hours without scheduling ahead. See current walk-in hours.

Can you treat my baby after delivery?

Yes. I treat patients of all ages at Vanguard Chiropractic, including newborns. Birth, even a smooth one, puts significant stress on a newborn's cervical spine and cranium. Gentle assessment and adjustment for newborns is a different type of care from adult adjustments, using very light finger-tip pressure. Many parents bring their newborn in within the first few weeks of birth.

What is the difference between a prenatal chiropractor and a Webster-certified chiropractor?

Webster certification is a specific continuing education credential for chiropractic pelvic technique. I am not Webster certified. The pelvic balancing and sacral adjustment techniques I use during pregnancy are based on chiropractic training and are focused on the same goal: restoring pelvic symmetry and sacral motion during pregnancy. The techniques are adapted for pregnancy positioning and pressure regardless of certification status.