Making Adjustments

Infertility and the Chiropractic Link

By Kelly Burgess

In recent years, infertility specialists have been focusing on factors outside of the reproductive system in order to solve the puzzle of infertility. More and more centers for infertility are partnering with acupuncturists, yoga centers and other stress reduction or lifestyle maximization programs. Can you add chiropractic to that list? According to a study published in the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research (JVSR), a peer-reviewed scientific journal devoted to subluxation-based chiropractic research, this answer could be yes.

It's too soon to call this an infertility breakthrough, but it's certainly intriguing. The study, which was published in three parts, 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.

About 13 years ago, my best friend underwent infertility treatments. Ultimately, she became pregnant via in vitro fertilization (IVF). She and her husband wanted to have more children but knew they couldn't afford the high price of infertility treatments again. It looked as if they would have to stop at one.

About 18 months after the baby was born, her mom talked her into seeing a chiropractor for some ongoing problems with her back. Two months later, shortly after she returned from a long weekend away with her husband, she was startled to discover she was pregnant.

After hearing about this study, I called my friend and asked if she thought chiropractic had anything to do with her successful second pregnancy. Amazed, she told me that she'd always thought it was just that they'd had a relaxing vacation, but she said the chiropractic may have definitely played a part.

When I told Dr. Madeline Behrendt my friend's story, she laughed delightedly, glad to have these theories bolstered once again. Dr. Behrendt is the author of the infertility series, an associate editor of JVSR and the chair of the council on women's health for the World Chiropractic Alliance. Dr. Behrendt says that it's anecdotal evidence like my friend's that prompted the study in the first place.

"This is occurring in practices all over the country, but definitive research includes very specific guidelines, and I wanted to operate and present under those guidelines," she says. "The purpose of the study was to start establishing solid evidence for what people in practices have been reporting for a very long time."

Dr. Behrendt makes it clear that chiropractic in and of itself is not a "cure" or a treatment for infertility. However, what chiropractic does is to correct distortions in the parts of the body where the reproductive organs are located. It seems that doing so can sometimes lead to fertility.

Want to see more?

• Fertility and Flexibility: Yoga When You're Trying to Conceive
• Herbs for Infertility: Do You Know Your Options?
• To the Point: Acupuncture for Conception
• Talk about it!