It is heartbreaking for couples to come to terms with not being able to conceive a child. According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), as much as 11 percent of females between the ages of 15 and 44 have difficulty either getting or staying pregnant. That translates into 6.1 million women who have fertility problems. The CDC also found that 7.5 percent of males (approximately 3.3 million to 4.7 million) between the ages of 15 and 44 have sought the advice of a fertility specialist. Dr. Nathen Horst is seeing an increasing number of patients for infertility issues. He believes that chiropractic care can offer a natural, non-pharmaceutical alternative to help couples conceive.

What Can Cause Infertility in Women and Men?

Infertility in men and women has different causes. The most common cause for infertility in women is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which is a hormonal imbalance that can interfere with normal ovulation. Other ovulation problems that may cause female infertility include functional hypothalamic amenorrhea, in which stress may disrupt or altogether stop the normal menstrual cycle, diminished egg production, or premature ovarian insufficiency, in which the ovaries stop working before age 40. Menopause is another common cause of female infertility. In addition to problems with ovulation, women may also have blocked fallopian tubes, which prevent the eggs from traveling from the ovaries to the uterus, or problems with the shape of the uterus or the uterine lining. Risk for infertility may be increased by age, smoking, alcohol consumption, or excessive weight gain or loss.

Infertility in men is generally as a result of something wrong with the sperm or semen. There may be a problem with the sperm count (if it is too low), motility (movement), or morphology (shape). Varicoceles is a condition in which the veins on the testicles are too large and may overheat the sperm, affecting their count or shape. Some medical conditions, such as diabetes or testicular cancer, may also affect the health of the sperm.

Treatment will generally consist of either surgery or hormonal therapy to put the hormones into correct balance to increase fertility. However, fertility treatments can be very expensive and time-consuming, as well as potentially increasing the chances for multiple fertilizations (twins, triplets, or even quadruplets).

How Can Chiropractic Care Help with Fertility?

One of the basic tenants of chiropractic care is that spinal movement contributes to the proper flow of cerebrospinal fluid. If this fluid is restricted due to lack of spinal movement, it can affect the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, both of which are responsible for regulating the hormones necessary for proper fertility in both men and women. A spinal adjustment will move the spine into its proper alignment, thus allowing cerebrospinal fluid to move freely to the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. This will, in turn, regulate hormonal cycles, thus making it easier to conceive. A number of case reports have been published that show how spinal manipulation can improve fertility.

Treating infertility does not need to be an expensive, drawn-out, risky process. Dr. Horst can help couples conceive in a healthy, natural way that is less expensive than standard infertility treatments.