Background •
Female infertility is a complex issue encompassing a wide variety of diagnoses, many of which are caused or affected by adhesions. Objectives • The study intended to examine the rates of successful treatment of infertile women using a protocol of manual
physical therapy to address underlying adhesive disease leading to
infertility. Methods • The research team designed a retrospective chart review. Setting • The study took place in a private
physical therapy clinic. Participants • Participants were 1392 female patients who were treated at the clinic between the years of 2002 and 2011. They had varying diagnoses of
infertility, including occluded fallopian tubes, hormonal dysfunction, and
endometriosis, and some women were undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF). Intervention • All patients underwent whole-body, patient-centered treatments that used a protocol of manual
physical therapy, which focused on restoring mobility and motility to structures affecting reproductive function. Outcome Measures • Improvements demonstrated in the condition(s) causing
infertility were measured by improvements in tubal patency and/or improved
hormone levels or by pregnancy. Results • The results included a 60.85% rate of clearing occluded fallopian tubes, with a 56.64% rate of pregnancy in those patients. Patients with
endometriosis experienced a 42.81% pregnancy rate. The success rate was 49.18% for lowering elevated levels of
follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), with a 39.34% pregnancy rate in that group, and 53.57% of the women with
polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) achieved pregnancy. The reported pregnancy rate for patients who underwent IVF after the
therapy was 56.16%. The results also suggested that the treatment was effective for patients with
premature ovarian failure (POF). Conclusion • The manual
physical therapy represented an effective,
conservative treatment for women diagnosed as infertile due to mechanical causes, independent of the specific etiology.