Members of the United Nations NGO (Non-Governmental Organizations) Health Committee are well-informed when it comes to most issues involving women's health around the world.

However, few knew much about chiropractic or understood how subluxations can affect women's health until the special presentation on March 6, 2001 by representatives of the World Chiropractic Alliance (WCA) and the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research (JSVR).

The two-hour program, "Perspectives on Chiropractic Care in Women's Health and Quality of Life," was held in conjunction with the NGO sessions during the 45th annual assembly of the Commission on the Status of Women. The program was co-sponsored the NGO Health Committee and the WCA, which was granted NGO status in 1998 by the United Nations Department of Public Information.

Officers of the NGO Health Committee, physicians, and representatives from developed and developing countries attended the session.

Veronica Gutierrez, D.C., member of the WCA Board of Directors and Chair of the WCA Council on Women's Health, laid the groundwork for the presentation by defining chiropractic terms, explaining the Association of Chiropractic Colleges' chiropractic paradigm, and addressing public policy issues. She also talked briefly about the WCA Council on Women's Health, its mission statement and goals.

"To be able to talk about chiropractic...was an honor and a memorable event," she stated enthusiastically. "We were welcomed warmly and listened to intently. The audience followed up with insightful and wonderful questions."

Dr. Gutierrez is the only chiropractor on the U.S. White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy and also presented information on the work of that group. She noted afterwards that, while the group appeared interested in the Commission, the information on chiropractic philosophy of health and wellness stimulated the most interest and dialogue.

Exploring the topic in greater depth, Madeline Behrendt, D.C., Vice-Chair of the WCA Council on Women's Health focused on chiropractic's role in women's health. Her presentation covered a number of vital areas, including access to quality information, restoration of health, wellness care and family wellness care throughout the various cycles of a woman's life -- girlhood, puberty, teenage years, reproductive years, menopause and beyond.

Dr. Behrendt (shown at right) author of the practice manual, "A Woman's Experience," recently published a commentary in the JVSR titled, "The Role and Relationship of Chiropractic and Women's Health Issues -- A call for Research."

Calling the presentation "a major highlight in my journey as a chiropractor," Behrendt added: "The audience included a variety of distinguished professionals interested in Women's Health, and their response to our chiropractic message was exciting. The experience reinforced my commitment to spread the life-changing message of subluxation-based chiropractic to audiences from Boise to the U.N. -- and beyond."

Also participating in the panel was Theresa Warner, D.C., who discussed vertebral subluxation and chiropractic care during pregnancy, as well as the care of newborns and children.

Dr. Warner is co-founder of the World Children's Wellness Foundation, a member of the WCA International Board of Governors, and a Total Solution Presenter. Her column, "Children's Wellness," appears regularly in The Chiropractic Journal.

Closing out the chiropractic session was Christopher Kent, D.C., WCA's main NGO representative. He discussed the World Health Organization's definition of health, research on autonomic and immune function, DNA repair, brain function, and health-related quality of life issues.

"WCA is honored by this opportunity to bring our vision of chiropractic to the international healthcare community," Dr. Kent stated. "They are seeking what chiropractic has to offer: safe, effective, non-pharmacologic strategies for improving quality-of-life."

Kent is a member of the WCA Board of Directors and serves on the JVSR editorial board. He is also the Director of Research for the Chiropractic Leadership Alliance and recipient of "Researcher of the Year" awards from both the WCA and the International Chiropractors Association. Last year, he was chosen to serve as Secretary of the NGO Health Committee.

During the meeting, the WCA representatives distributed a variety of handouts, including Dr. Behrendt's JVSR commentary and an original research article from JVSR titled, "A Retrospective Assessment of Network Care Using a Survey of Self-Rated Health, Wellness and Quality of Life" by Robert Blanks, Ph.D, Tonya L. Schuster, Ph.D., and Marnie Dodson, B.A.

After the presentation, a number of Committee members expressed interest in learning more about chiropractic and several were seen making note of the WCA website address.