As an osteopath, you view the body with a broad and open perspective. No single system stands alone, which is why people with a wide range of complaints can seek support within osteopathy. Osteopathy can also sometimes play a complementary role in cases of unfulfilled fertility wishes.
In 2016, a patient came to the practice who had been trying to conceive for 18 months without success. Both she and her partner had been extensively examined by a gynecologist, but no medical cause was found. Everything appeared normal. By then, four IUI (intrauterine insemination) treatments had already taken place without result, and an ICSI trajectory was planned.
Within osteopathy, we look for structures and systems that may influence the functioning of the body. During the examination, it appeared that the uterus played an important role. Despite previous medical examinations, the impression arose that the quality of the uterine lining might have been insufficient for the optimal implantation of a fertilized egg.
Further conversation revealed that the patient had been struggling with recurring candida symptoms since the age of fifteen, a fungal infection that may have influenced her overall physical resilience.
After the first treatment, a clear reaction from the body occurred: severe itching, a disrupted cycle, and breakthrough bleeding. Shortly thereafter, the first ICSI treatment followed, which led to a pregnancy for the first time. Unfortunately, this pregnancy ended in a miscarriage after ten weeks.
After several osteopathic treatments, the candida symptoms gradually disappeared. Eventually, the patient became pregnant again, followed by the birth of a healthy daughter.
An osteopath will never claim to be responsible for a pregnancy. However, osteopathy can potentially contribute to improving the balance and mobility in the body, allowing the self-healing capacity to function more effectively.
Two years later, the same patient returned with a desire for another child. This time, it was not the uterus but the pituitary gland — an important part of the hormonal system — that seemed to require extra attention. During the conversation, she spoke about a serious accident at the age of six, in which she sustained a head injury after being hit by a motorcyclist.
Once again, her body reacted strongly to the treatment, including a very heavy period. A new pregnancy did not occur at that time.
Sometimes the results are exceptionally beautiful; sometimes a trajectory proceeds differently than hoped. This is precisely why osteopathy remains a bespoke approach, in which the body is always treated as a single whole.
