What is Chiropractic?
Chiropractic is a healthcare discipline that emphasizes the inherent recuperative power of the body to heal itself without the use of drugs or surgery. The practice of chiropractic focuses on the relationship between structure (primarily of the spine) and function (as coordinated by the nervous system) and how that relationship affects the preservation and restoration of health.
“Your body is an amazing creation that can accomplish numerous miraculous tasks including creating new life. These miraculous tasks are accomplished under the direction of the nervous system.”
What is infertility?
The generally accepted definition of infertility is the inability to become pregnant after trying to conceive consistently for one year.
A couple with be typically classified as infertile if they have not used contraception and have not become pregnant for 12 consecutive months.
The effects of age on fertility
Fertility naturally declines in both men and women, however at much different rates.
Women in their 30’s are about half as fertile as compare to their early 20’s and chance of conception significantly declines after age 35.
Men also experience a decline in fertility, but at a more gradual decline over the years.
Factors that can influence fertility
Reducing or completely avoiding smoking, drugs, caffeine and alcohol can significantly increase fertility, since reproductive organs are very sensitive to free radicals and oxidative stress that occurs with these lifestyle behaviors.
Extremes of body weight, insulin resistance, inadequate levels of exercise and adrenal impairment due to stress also have been shown to create imbalance in body chemistry, which can negatively influence fertility.
Currently there are no large scale studies showing spinal adjustments increasing fertility directly, however many smaller studies and case reports suggest a link between the spine, nervous system and fertility.
How big of a problem is infertility?
In the United States approximately 9% of men and 11% of women have experienced fertility problems, with 7.3 million women having some for of infertility services
When breaking down fertility problems approximately 20% of all cases involve both male and female factors. 35% involve male factors only, 35% involve female factors only, and 10% are unknown.
Research shows that after 1 year of trying to become pregnant, 12% to 15% of couples are not able to conceive. After 2 years of trying, 10% of couples are still not able to conceive.
Fertility and Chiropractic Research
Since many cases of infertility involve a combination of factors, it becomes difficult to study how each individual lifestyle factor, including engaging in regular chiropractic care, can relate to fertility problems.
Many case studies have demonstrated a positive association between chiropractic care and fertility, even in cases where many other medical treatments were tried without success.
Further research in this area must ideally focus on the effects of chiropractic on the autonomic nervous system and how these changes can directly influence reproductive organs and subsequently the ability to overcome fertility problems.
Research and information thanks to Wellness Media Resources!
As someone who chooses to take care of pregnant mamas as a specialty, this is one of our favorite topics! If you’re ready to get your health back on track, schedule your new patient appointment today!