Infertility: the struggle is real

Infertility. A scary word that we hear way too often, and most likely affected you or someone you know. I was personally victimized by infertility and struggled for 2 years to have a baby. In the end, I did need some extra help. However, there are things to try before resorting to hormone therapy and other infertility treatments.  In my opinion, as a Chiropractor, I always recommend the least invasive options prior to seeking less conservative means of treatment.

Many seek chiropractic care for wellness purposes and don’t realize the effect it may have on the body. While chiropractic doesn’t cure infertility, it does reduce stress and interference in the body and, more specifically, the nervous system. Chiropractic promotes health from the inside out. Chiropractors most often encourage healthy nutrition, an active lifestyle and frequently guide patients through the process of decreasing other stressors . All of these factors can have a direct effect on one’s ability to conceive. Regular chiropractic care can affect your breathing, blood vessel dilation and digestion. These positive effects may help move a fertilized egg into fallopian tubes. In addition, if one’s pelvis is twisted there can be pressure on reproductive organs that may stress them. 

Acupuncture can increase fertility by reducing stress, increasing blood flow to the reproductive organs and balancing the endocrine system. Among many other benefits, acupuncture can provide better blood flow to the ovaries and uterus, creating a stronger chance for an egg to be nourished and carried to term. 

A functional medicine approach will look all of the hormones in the body and how they are behaving to get an overall picture of your hormone health. Most people think of sex hormones in relation to fertility but do not realize that those levels are affected by other parts of the body such as the thyroid and adrenals. There are several places to look for hormone functioning that could be affecting your ability to conceive. 

Now just because none of these worked for me to get pregnant, it does not mean that they won't for you. And as I mentioned above, I'd much rather take and highly recommend a  more conservative approach before diving into hormones, IUI, and IVF type options myself. And another little piece of advice to leave you with is that these are also great adjuncts to medicinal infertility treatments and will help keep the body functioning well and can help carry the baby to term, which is what I think they did for me! 

Here's a pic of my little guy...which is the most important part...that he's here!