The World Chiropractic Alliance (WCA) has issued an official position paper on the role of chiropractic in women's health. The paper was developed by the WCA Council on Women's Health and includes basic information on the Council's mission and activities.

Veronica Gutierrez, D.C., member of the WCA Board of Directors and chair of the Council on Women's Health, noted that the paper is important because it makes a clear statement about the WCA's commitment to studying and promoting the use of chiropractic for women.

"Women around the globe are being denied appropriate health care," she stated. "This is particularly the case with chiropractic care. Even in developed nations, women are often considered second class citizens and their health concerns are either ignored or treated solely as medical problems. It's important for all women to have access to proper subluxation corrective care through chiropractic."

The paper also reinforces the arguments set forth by Madeline Behrendt, D.C., in a commentary published in the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research (JVSR). In the article, titled, "The Role and Relationship of Chiropractic and Women's Health Issues -- A call for Research," Dr. Behrendt criticized the medical profession for "medicalizing" many normal female functions.

"Drugs are now utilized to interfere with the multiple bodily experiences unique to womanhood such as menstruation," she stated. Although "women spend three out of four of all health care dollars and determine many of the health care choices for their family," she pointed out that research into alternatives to drugs and surgery for women is lacking.

On the issue of osteoporosis, she commented, "Among the professions dealing with bone health, discussions may be incomplete without this question: What impact do subluxations have on a young girl's developing spine?"

The World Chiropractic Alliance is the first major chiropractic organization to establish a Council to deal specifically with women's health issues.