Osteopathy is a safe holistic health care system. It looks at you as a whole person, not just a uterus or a sperm making machine!

When it comes to fertility, osteopathy can play a significant role in improving the chances of conception (check out this study). Osteopathy recognizes that the body functions as a whole, and any imbalances, restrictions, or pain in the musculoskeletal system can affect your ability to conceive. The goal is to reinstate and support your natural homeostatic (balancing) mechanisms.

We want to make sure your body is supported and encourage it to be the coziest home possible.

In this article I’ll show you how osteopathy can help people trying to conceive by looking at the anatomy of the ovarian cycle, and how OMPs can help you in your TTC journey.

Conception is a whole body physiological process

Most of the time when we think about conception, and the anatomy of conception we focus on the pelvis. Don’t get me wrong, the pelvis is super important (for conception and for overall health), but we are more than a pelvis.

One of the founding principles of osteopathy is that the body is a dynamic unit of function. What this means practically is that your pelvis doesn’t exist in isolation. It functions in partnership with the rest of your body, with EVERY other part of your body. (Next time you see me ask! And we can trace any anatomical structure back to your pelvis! That would be so much fun!)

The other key players that relate to conception are:

Your head + upper neck
Your circulatory system and any soft tissue structure that could interfere with optimal vascular health.
Your spine (lol I’m an OMP I have to say that)

Let’s get into each one of these and how it relates to the anatomy and physiology of trying to conceive and conception.

The head and upper neck!

Back to basics

People who have uteruses and ovaries have two cycles; a Ovarian Cycle and (omg you guessed it) a Uterine Cycle!

I’m not going to get into the nitty gritty of these two phases, but what I really want you to know is that the ovarian cycle drives the changes in the uterus (and the uterine cycle - aka menstrual cycle). And the ovarian cycle is driven by hormones! Which brings us to our first anatomical landmark! The head and upper neck.

The hormones that influence the ovarian cycle start in the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. These are brain regions located roughly behind our eyes.

It is absolutely vital that the hypothalamus and pituitary gland are happy campers because they tell the ovaries when to start preparing an egg, and when to release it! We want to make sure that the head and upper neck are well aligned, not too forward or back in space, and that circulation is moving well!

The circulatory system!

This brings us nicely to the circulatory system. Hormones are chemicals that travel through the circulatory system to their desired destination. The body can read these chemicals like an email or text message.

Here is the worst fake text conversation ever (between the anterior pituitary and the ovaries):

This system works best if all the texts can get through. We all know how infuriating it is to have a text convo with someone out of sync or when messages mysteriously go missing.

In our bodies the circulatory system is the network, or signal strength. It is super important to make sure it is running smoothly.

This means making sure that soft tissue structures (like our diaphragm) are moving well. Our heart and lungs, and all the structures that surround these are also crucial for the parts they play. The heart is our main blood organ, the lungs help keep the blood healthy and oxygenated.

Spine

Thinking back to the importance of our head and neck, our spines are also relevant. Our neck is attached to our spines, but more than that our spines convey posture and compensations between our head and our pelvis.

Essentially, our spine compensates and balances any soft tissue injuries or funny habitual postures we have.

This can then lead to misaligned neck and head, and/or misaligned pelvis.

Which brings us nicely back to where we started, our bodies are a single dynamic unit of function.

Nothing in your body exists in isolation.

Osteopathy Treatment for Fertility Toronto

**Treatment is a whole body process**

The goal of osteopathic manual therapy is to support and optimize overall health. Osteopathy can help by assessing and treating any system that conception relies on. Treatment is going to be super personal and will look different for everyone because every body has a different physical and emotional history. For some, treatment may be specific to the uterus, and may involve visceral (organ) manipulation. For others, treatment might focus on overall posture and circulation.

Together we will make sure your unique body is working its best, so it can handle whatever life throws at it.

FAQs

Yes. Osteopathy is a gentle, non-invasive therapy that is considered safe when you’re trying to conceive. Treatments are tailored to your body and focus on supporting circulation, balancing the nervous system, and easing tension without using forceful techniques. If you’re undergoing fertility treatments like IVF or IUI, osteopathy can safely be used alongside them.
Osteopathy looks at your whole body in order to create the most balanced, healthy environment for conception. Research suggests that gentle osteopathic techniques may:
- Improve pelvic mobility and circulation
- Support hormonal regulation and stress reduction
- Help reduce mechanical or postural issues
Yes. In fact, some studies suggest manual therapy may improve outcomes when combined with assisted reproductive technologies.
A retrospective study reported higher pregnancy rates when manual therapy was used before IVF compared with historical IVF success rates
Osteopathy and CST can be part of a supportive, whole-body approach to fertility—helping reduce stress, improve comfort, and potentially increase your chances of success while you undergo medical treatments.

Anderson, C. Manual Osteopathy, an Alternative Look at Treating Infertility in Women.
Breder, K. P., Wurn, B. F., King III, C. R., & Wurn, L. J. (2015). Ten-year retrospective study on the efficacy of a manual physical therapy to treat female infertility.
Daraï, C., Deboute, O., Zacharopoulou, C., Laas, E., Canlorbe, G., Belghiti, J., ... & Daraï, E. (2015). Impact of osteopathic manipulative therapy on quality of life of patients with deep infiltrating endometriosis with colorectal involvement: results of a pilot study. European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, 188, 70-73.
King, H. H., Tettambel, M. A., Lockwood, M. D., Johnson, K. H., Arsenault, D. A., & Quist, R. (2003). Osteopathic manipulative treatment in prenatal care: a retrospective case control design study. Journal of Osteopathic Medicine, 103(12), 577-582.
Kocyigit, B. F. (2022). CAN MANUAL THERAPY AND MASSAGE BE USED AS COMPLEMENTARY METHODS FOR FEMALE INFERTILITY IN DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS?. Anti-Aging Eastern Europe, 1(2), 118-122.
Kramp M. E. (2012). Combined manual therapy techniques for the treatment of women with infertility: a case series. The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, 112(10), 680–684.
Ruffini, N., D’Alessandro, G., Cardinali, L., Frondaroli, F., & Cerritelli, F. (2016). Osteopathic manipulative treatment in gynecology and obstetrics: a systematic review. Complementary therapies in medicine, 26, 72-78.
Wurn, B. F., Wurn, L. J., Roscow, A. S., King, C. R., Heuer, M. A., Scharf, E. S., & Shuster, J. J. (2004). Treating female infertility and improving IVF pregnancy rates with a manual physical therapy technique. Medscape General Medicine, 6(2), 51.

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Osteopathy for Fertility: How Manual Therapy Can Support Conception.