What is Infertility?
Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive after at least 1 year of unprotected intercourse.
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that there were 7.3 million infertile women in the U.S. in 2002 with 1.2 million women having had an infertility-related medical appointment. These data also indicate that from 30 years of age and on, rates of infertility increase.
There are many reasons for both male and female infertility, including problems with egg production, anatomic, immune and hormonal factors for the female and sperm count for the male.
In healthy couples, the probability of conception is 20-25% per reproductive cycle, with a 90% change of conception within 12 months.
Infertility is distinctly different from sterility as there is still the potential for conception.
The inability to conceive can lead to many emotional states such as frustration, guilt, anger, resentment, inadequacy and depression.
While a number of assisted reproductive technologies, such as in-vitro fertilization are available for women trying to conceive, they are not without failures and consequences.
As a result, women turn to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to optimize their chances of achieving a pregnancy. Of the various CAM therapies, chiropractic is a popular choice of alternative healthcare for women and highly utilized.
Optimal functioning of the ovaries, fallopian tubes and uterus are necessary for a viable pregnancy; any dysfunction in the female reproductive organs could lead to infertility.
Infertility is a common issue for patients presenting to chiropractic offices. Although, the primary goal of chiropractic is not to treat symptoms and disease, many cases show success in conception of previously infertile women with chiropractic care.
Chiropractic Helps Woman with Infertility
The 31-year-old woman in this study had been diagnosed with infertility. She also had a history of migraines and neck pain. She and her husband had been trying to get pregnant with no success for over a year.
The chiropractor examined her and found structural shifts in her neck and low back. Range of motion, x-rays, and other testing confirmed the findings. These structural shifts can lead to obstruction of the nerves and it is this obstruction, that chiropractors correct.
Following chiropractic adjustments, she was able to get pregnant and delivered a healthy baby.
The study’s author called for additional research to investigate the clinical implications of chiropractic in this population.
Reference
Resolution of Infertility After Chiropractic Care: A Case Study and Review of Literature. Alan Payne, DC & Kevin Payne, DC. Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research ~ Volume, 2022.