Mercier Therapy Helps Women
Achieve Pregnancy
Merciér, J., Midwife, LMT, PhD; Miller, K., LMT
Merciér Therapy, Saint Charles, Illinois, USA;
Sparks Women’s Center, Fort Smith, Arkansas, USA
Introduction:
Among women ages 15–44, 6.7 million have impaired ability to have children, 1.5 million are infertile, and 7.4 million have used infertility services in their lifetime (www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/fertile.htm). Now more than ever, women are having their fertility manipulated by reproductive endocrinology clinics and are undergoing multiple cycles without knowing the long-term effects of fertility drug use.
Purpose/Aim:
Articles have been written about soft tissue abdominal and pelvic work alleviating fertility challenges, but no clinical research has been performed. The purpose of this study is to confirm that the use of site- specific, manual soft tissue therapy is valid as a standalone treatment and with assisted reproductive technologies to help women become pregnant.
The therapy used in this study is called Merciér Therapy. It involves gentle manipulation of the uterus and/or massage on a consistent basis—normally twelve sessions over a one-month period. Merciér Therapy not only addresses fertility challenges but also improves soft tissue mobility and breaks down adhesions to relieve pelvic pain.
Jennifer Merciér, the study’s author, practices in the Chicago area. But those living outside the area can benefit from her therapy as well, being treated over a four-day weekend rather than a one-month period. Merciér also trains licensed professionals in performing Merciér Therapy. Visit www.merciertherapy.com to learn more about her technique and training.
Materials and Methods:
Forty-eight women ages 28–42 were interviewed and underwent at least two sessions of Merciér Therapy in Mercier’s clinic in Illinois as well as the coauthor’s office in Arkansas. Both offices are holistic, clinical, multidisciplinary environments. The women selected for the study all complained of primary and secondary fertility challenges regardless of age, current or past pathological condition, prior surgical intervention, prior treatment, and history of no treatment.
Results:
Eighteen women achieved pregnancy within the first six months of their first Merciér Therapy sessions. Twenty-two women achieved pregnancy within one year of their first Merciér Therapy session. Eight women did not become pregnant. Of the forty women who became pregnant, thirty-two used Merciér Therapy as a standalone treatment; six used in-vitro fertilization; two used a combination of Clomid and intrauterine insemination.
Relevance:
By educating participants about their fertility and cycles and using Merciér Therapy soft tissue manipulation to increase organ mobility and blood flow while enhancing optimal organ function, women responded very well without use of heavy-handed reproductive methods.
Conclusions:
Merciér Therapy has proven beneficial in helping couples to achieve pregnancy in a diverse group of women with various prior assisted reproductive technology backgrounds, ages, races, current pathologies, and medical histories.
Discussion:
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 147,260 assisted reproductive technology cycles were performed in the United States in 2010; 47,090 live births occurred—31.9% (www.cdc.gov/art). Why settle for mediocrity? In this study, Merciér Therapy helped 83% of participants achieve pregnancy; 80% of those women used Merciér Therapy exclusively. When used in conjunction with medical fertility treatments for the remaining participants, Merciér Therapy shortened the number of cycles, achieving pregnancy sooner than with fertility treatments alone.
Implications:
This study reveals that fertility does not need to be medically manipulated in all cases. Medical fertility treatments bypass the core problem of poor reproductive organ function. Merciér Therapy creates more blood flow and mobility of the uterus, ovaries, and tubes, going to the source of the challenge and helping to fix it, gently and effectively.