Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy For Fertility

I see mamas who are trying to get pregnancy for a variety of reasons.

I help them:

• Establish a regular exercise routine

• Heal any orthopedic or pelvic floor issues that may be present

• Promote a healthy, pain-free pregnancy

But there is another reason to come to pelvic floor physical therapy while in the process of trying to conceive.

Pelvic floor physical therapy can help promote fertility in women.

Causes of infertility in women

Infertility can be caused by multiple reasons. Problems relating to hormonal or physiological imbalances will be treated by your physician with hormone therapies, medication, diet and lifestyle modifications,

But there are other causes for infertility, these include mechanical causes. Scar tissue around the abdomen can adhere to reproductive organs and present a mechanical block for fertilization. This can occur in conditions like Endometriosis, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), and women who have had c-sections or other pelvic surgeries.

Pelvic Floor PT For Infertility

Pelvic floor physical therapy can help mobilize scar tissue and pelvic organs. Pelvic floor PT can also help to manage pain associated with inflammatory conditions such endometriosis or PCOS, and improve blood flow to the pelvis.

Other causes of mechanical infertility can include pain or difficulty tolerating penetration. Pain with intercourse can decrease sex drive, thus presenting an additional barrier to fertility.

Pelvic floor physical therapy can help decrease pain with penetration and restore healthy function to the pelvis.

A study published in 2015 found that women with conditions such as elevated FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone), Fallopian Tube Occlusion, Endometriosis and PCOS treated with manual physical therapy to mobilize adhesions had positive outcomes.

For women with endometriosis, success rates for pregnancy after treatment were 42.8%, and even higher for those who underwent in vitro fertilization, with success rates at 55.4%. These findings are comparable to or better than the standard medical treatment for fertility in women with endometriosis published in current literature!

For women with PCOS, success rates for pregnancy after treatment were 53.57%, which is higher than the standard medical intervention for PCOS, which is metformin.

What will fertility treatment look like in pelvic floor PT?

Your treatment will be tailed to your specific needs and causes for infertility. A few types of fertility treatments can include:

• Hands-on abdominal scar tissue mobilization

• Visceral mobilization

• Internal pelvic floor trigger point release

• Diaphragmatic breathing for improving lymph and blood flow

You will work closely with your therapist for regular treatment session to improve mechanical issues that may be contributing to infertility.

Conclusion

Manual physical therapy for has been shown to help improve fertility in diagnoses such as occluded fallopian tubes, endometriosis, and PCOS.

Pelvic floor physical therapy can also improve pain with intercourse, which can also be a deterrent to pregnancy.

If you are interested in getting pregnant, make sure you book your appointment for pelvic floor physical therapy today!