The Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health published a study on April 26, 2018, documenting the case of chiropractic care resolving infertility in a 30-year-old woman. As defined by the study, “Infertility is the inability to accomplish a pregnancy within one year of regular sexual intercourse without contraception.”

The statistics of infertility show that 20% are due to combined male and female factors, while 35% are due to solely male factors and equally 35% are due to female factors with the remaining 10% being attributed to unknown factors. In the U.S. alone, it was estimated that in 2010, 48.5 million couples were infertile.

According to an April 18, 2018, article in the US News and World Report, about 85,000 women undergo in vitro fertilization each year. The cost of such treatments is high with the article reporting that the average cost of IVF treatment, including cycle costs and medication, is $25,000. In most cases, two cycles are needed, bringing the total bill to near $50,000. With these figures, it is no wonder that more couples are turning to alternative care such as chiropractic for a possible solution.

In this case, a 30-year-old female nurse sought out chiropractic care. Her reason for seeking chiropractic was to see if she could be helped with her infertility issue. However, she was also suffering with headaches, low back pain and middle back pain. She had been diagnosed with infertility a year earlier and was trying a variety of medical approaches including performing temperature monitoring and purchasing ovulation kits for infertility as well as taking Clomid throughout days 5-9 of her cycle.

A chiropractic examination revealed spinal areas of increased sensitivity along with a decreased range of motion. Spinal x-rays showed a loss of normal curvatures and malpositioned vertebrae. Specific forms of chiropractic care were started to address the subluxations that were present.

The report shows that after two months of chiropractic care, she had ovulated for two months in a row for the first time. After three months of care, the woman had reported that she had conceived and was pregnant. Additionally, the other symptoms she initially had of headaches, lower and mid back pain were resolved.

In the discussion section of the study, the authors explain how chiropractic care is effective in cases of infertility. “How does chiropractic care and improvement of posture help resolve infertility? It is presumed that stimulation and relief of tension on the spinal cord and nerves play the key role in enabling a female patient to become fertile following chiropractic care. Structurally speaking this patient had vertebral subluxation and reduced sagittal curves throughout all regions in the spine. This lengthens the spinal canal and therefore exerts increased tension onto the spinal cord even during normal motions of the spine and neck. The resultant “pathologic” neurological tensions are likely the culprit in neurologic compromise in function of the organs, including those related to fertility.”