Rutherford chiropractor Kerein Earney will spend the next 12 to 18 months collecting data from pregnant women in her contribution to the American study.

The study, launched by US chiropractic paediatric specialist Dr Jeanne Ohm, will look at how chiropractic care can reduce the high rate of Caesarean section deliveries.

Ms Earney said she hoped to contribute to Dr Ohm’s study and help make more Australian women aware of the benefits of chiropractic care throughout pregnancy for an easier and safer natural birth.

“There’s a lot of data from overseas in relation to chiropractic care during pregnancy but what I’m trying to do is include data from here in Maitland,” she said.

“So what I’ll be doing is collating information from those Maitland ladies who come and see me during their pregnancies.”

Maitland mother Benita Van Der Wel, 33, endured a relatively brief four-hour labour with her third child after seeking chiropractic care during her pregnancy.

Her first child Max, five, was born by Caesarean section, while her daughter Ruby, three, had an assisted delivery.

“One thing Kerein noticed during one of my examinations was that my pelvis was out of alignment, so I think that could have caused a lot of problems during my first two deliveries,” Ms Van Der Wel said.

“Then with Ned (now 19 months) I had the most amazing four-hour labour followed by the most amazing

natural birth.”

Chiropractors’ Association of Australia (NSW) president Bryce Conrad, said the high rate of Caesarean deliveries in Australia – which has risen in the past 10 years from one-in-five births to more than one-in-three – could be reduced if more women discovered the benefits of chiropractic care for mother and baby.

Overseas evidence indicates the number of Caesareans could be cut dramatically if more women consulted a chiropractor early in their pregnancy for assistance in adjusting the spine, strengthening pelvic muscles and allowing the baby the best possible position for a natural birth.