Fertility Issues
Infertility specialists are now focusing on factors outside of the reproductive system in order to solve the problem of infertility. A study published in the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research (JVSR), a peer-reviewed scientific journal devoted to subluxation-based chiropractic research, is getting a lot of attention.
The study detailed a number of cases where infertile women undergoing chiropractic care became pregnant. While some of these women went to the chiropractor with a view toward helping their fertility, others went merely to have their spines adjusted but then became pregnant while under chiropractic care. While chiropractic in and of itself is not considered a "cure" or a treatment for infertility, what chiropractic can do is to correct interference to the nerves that control the function of the reproductive organs. It seems that a significant number of infertility cases may be due to correctable spinal related neuropathy.
The Science Behind the Study
Peristaltic motion is a term that describes muscular function controlled by our autonomous nervous system In order for conception to occur an egg has to travel through the fallopian tube from the ovary to the uterus. This movement is propelled by peristaltic motion in the fallopian tube. An misalignment in the lower thoracic or upper lumbar spine can cause a neuropathy which can impair the normal peristaltic motion of the fallopian tubes making it impossible for the egg to be delivered to the uterus. The result can be infertility or even ectopic pregnancy.
It is also possible for peristaltic motion to be disturbed so that it allow reversed its normal motion and delivers uterine tissue back into the abdominal cavity or onto the ovaries resulting in endometriosis. There are several studies where women who were close to being surgical candidates for endometriosis ultimately found relief in chiropractic care.
The main study included subjects from a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds ranging in age from 22 to 65. Not surprisingly the 65-year-old did not get pregnant under chiropractic care, but after a lifetime with no menstrual periods, she began menstruating four weeks after beginning chiropractic adjustments. While not conclusive, the results of this study are compelling, and it's an approach that certainly can't do any harm. The study found that chiropractic had positive results regardless of the woman’s age, number of years infertile, previous medical intervention, health history including miscarriages, blocked fallopian tubes, amenorrhea, colitis, or trauma. In my own practice spanning the past two decades I've had several female patients that were previously unable to conceive go on to have children after undergoing chiropractic care.
Dr. Philip Greenwood, D.C.
Murrieta, California
