Got eggs?

by Dr. Madeline Behrendt

One year after the first television news report featured the JVSR research series on chiropractic and infertility, this research is still making news. And all over the globe, chiropractors are helping subluxated infertile women become well. I often received reports of pregnancies and babies, news that just makes my day so much better.

But there's another type of news I get also ‑‑ the disturbing kind. What do South America, Israel, Italy, Germany, and Canada all have in common? These areas have become destination spots for "fertility tourists," as reported in The New York Times article, "Driven by Costs, Fertility Clients Head Overseas" (1/25/05). "For the price of one I.V.F. cycle in the U.S.A. the patient can come to South Africa, have the treatment done here in Cape Town and have a lovely holiday at the same time and still take some cash home," says Dr. S. Sulaiman Heylen, a fertility specialist at the Cape Fertility Clinic in Cape Town. Internet communities are now developing where people swap stories about overseas locations and fees.

The infertility intervention industry is booming and becoming so big it is now intersecting with other industries such as the above example of tourism. The same Times article reports that in the United States about 100,000 in vitro efforts occur a year. The average cost of a single attempt is about $12,400, which is typically paid out of pocket. About 355 IVF centers exist, and one of the largest is in New Jersey, which has 4,000 new patients per year. There seems to be a terrific hunt for eggs ‑‑ but my question is not "got eggs?" I'd rather bring attention to an often neglected area: "got nerve flow?"

We know from research that the infertile women studied had vertebral subluxations, which were detected through a chiropractic evaluation. Yet, having a chiropractic evaluation is not a routine commitment on many women's health checklist. If a woman/couple is finding $12,400 to pay out of pocket, or thousands for an international trip, does she have the ability to pay for a chiropractic evaluation? The obvious answer is yes, so that means money is not the issue.

The next thought is that not all women know how valuable chiropractic could be to their well being, and/or they don't yet know a great chiropractor. So, how can they find your office?

Many chiropractors are including the research findings in their newsletters, adding links to the WCA or JVSR websites on their home page, and reaching out to local women's groups or events to be sure they have media reports on this important topic. There are six million suffering with infertility in the United States who live where you live, and they need you to connect with them.

I am truly concerned for the health of infertile women. They have already suffered a severe change in function in a major system, what does the future hold for these women if they don't get the help they need?

How much more distortion can their body tolerate?

How much vertebral subluxation can a life experience tolerate?

As always, chiropractors are charged with the job of educating the public, and that's the job all of us need to get busier at. As the statistics from the Times article indicate, the infertility industry is only getting bigger, you have to wonder if there will come a day when our culture no longer has the ability to reproduce naturally? I hope not. I know that chiropractic research is making a dent in helping fertility remain a natural, rather than an artificial process. So take the research and bring it into your world.

Just a final note to remind everyone to sign up for the WCA 2005 Summit, happening this month in Washington, D.C. (visit www.worldchiropracticalliance.org to sign up). Chiropractors who have attended previous Summits understand how special this event is. For those who haven't been to a WCA Summit yet, you don't want to miss the chance to be inside the corridors of our nation's power center on Legislative Day. You also don't want to miss out on enjoying the energy and excitement of three power‑packed days hanging out with hundreds of chiropractors just like you. So, for both newcomers and returnees, I can't wait to see all of you!

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