Abstract
BACKGROUND: The female menstrual cycle is a complicated interaction of hormonal messages that are under the control of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Ovarian axis. Dysfunction in this axis can lead to anovulation and infertility. Stress has the potential to produce such dysfunction. OBJECTIVES: To review the normal menstrual cycle, and present a number of case studies on how the stress- reducing technique of Neuro Emotional Technique (NET) successfully aided the fertility of a number of female patients by resolving anovulation/menstrual irregularity. METHODS: Three chronic anovulating, infertile patients underwent NET. A visual analog scale was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention. OUTCOMES: Anovulating patients started to ovulate following a series of treatments. Initial visual analog scale (VAS) scale on menstrual irregularity was rated 10 out of a possible 10 (anovulation) for all patients. After treatment, these 3 patients rated 0 out of 10 on the VAS scale and had fallen pregnant with subsequent birthing. A discussion of the potential link between stress and anovulation through altered gonadotropin releasing hormone pulsitile activity and how the use of NET may have resolved the anovulation seen in these 3 patients is presented. CONCLUSION: The success attributed to the NET intervention and the resumption of ovulation warrant the need for further research involving long term prospective randomized controlled trial experiments to determine a direct causal relationship.