February 2004

Infertility research attracting a broad audience

by Dr. Madeline Behrendt

I'm on a mission to connect women to chiropractic and chiropractors to women. Accordingly, when the project on the response to chiropractic care among infertile women was published in the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research (JVSR), it was important that the project did not stop there.

Demographics reveal that of people seeking chiropractic care, 59% are female, and 49.7% are between 18 and 50. And in America, the six million people dealing with infertility certainly need to know what this research can mean to their lives!

So, the next step has been to ensure the articles are utilized to connect the profession and the public. The response? The results are rolling in:

1) Chiropractors are presenting this topic in key venues all over the country, including as part of 'Wellness Saturdays' at Whole Foods. D.C.s realize that, never having heard this information, the general public may be completely unaware of the influence of the spine on health. Evidence‑based information is the bridge that makes connections. Because given the choice, consumers want to know. The result? Very positive. More women starting chiropractic care. And with them come the men, because men need to not only care about their sperm, but also their spines.

2) D.C.s are being invited by local chapters of national infertility organizations to be guest speakers for their infertility lecture series. Again, the response has been very positive.

3) The article describing a religious‑based lifestyle has generated interested from key people, especially rabbis, who constantly deal with the scenario described in the case study. They have found the results fascinating and take contact information. Healing takes time, but the first steps have been taken.

4) For all the students reading this, know that a chiropractic student chose this research as a school project topic. How awesome, chiropractic research being used in chiropractic schools!

5) Put down that magazine. The infertility contributors are handing out better reading material while people are waiting for exams. The comments: "That's you!"

6) Companies that supply chiropractic patient education materials are now including this research in their products. Again, how awesome, chiropractic research on women's health used in chiropractic literature!

7) JVSR is an online journal and accessible to everyone with an Internet connection. Women from all over the country are finding the articles online and contacting me for more information and referrals.

8) As the articles have been distributed within a variety of local communities, women who were diagnosed as infertile are discovering chiropractic specifically because of this research. This is creating the next generation of case results where the response to chiropractic care included improved fertility function.

9) TV producers and magazine writers did respond to the press release for this project. While nothing has been published yet, there was great interest, more so than with previous articles on women's health. Identifying the best media outlets for chiropractic research and news will be included in future projects.

This was a big project and involved the efforts of many committed people to make publishing happen: the contributors, the peer review doctors, JVSR Editor Matthew McCoy, and the JVSR tech wizards.

Now, with so many chiropractors actively using this research to tell the chiropractic story, the results can continue to grow. We have projects in the works to support the profession in getting the message out into their communities so, feel free to e‑mail me to be included on the notification list.

All of the articles are available at www.jvsr.com, and for the month of February we are having a subscription special (see details online).

The next JVSR special issue is: "The Impact of Chiropractic in Society."

Some of the articles include:

***  "Chiropractic Efforts at Ground Zero"

***  "Chiropractic Humanitarian Missions for the Hungry, Homeless, and Isolated"

***  "Chiropractic Case Study of a Battered Woman"

***  "Chiropractic and Mental Health" (anxiety disorder case study)

***  "Chiropractors as Members of the Creative Class," including a report on "Place: The Top 10 and Bottom 10 Locations for Chiropractic"

***  "Chiropractic Unmasked"

...and more, to be announced soon.

The "Society" issue is documenting the chiropractic experience within a variety of communities, actually recording the chiropractic story. We are part of history. One hundred years from now, chiropractic students will be able to read an insider's view about the chiropractic relief efforts for the workers at Ground Zero, it will not be lost to memory. As this special issue is published, these articles can be utilized to support your practices, your humanitarian efforts, and your soul.

I look forward to seeing you at the 2004 WCA International Summit in Washington, D.C. Please say hello and let me know any comments you may have on current research, women's health or possible future research. We are just getting started!

(Dr. Madeline Behrendt is chair of the WCA Council on Women's Health and associate editor of the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation [JVSR]. An author and speaker, she is committed to connecting women to chiropractic and chiropractors to women, and may be contacted at drmadeline@drmadelinedc.com)