An Interesting Way to Conceive
The case of the month is an actual patient of The Turek Clinic
The body has a whole bunch of really cool reflexes. These are things that the body does without conscious thought. It’s how the eye focuses. It’s why the knee jerks. It also explains blushing, sneezing, coughing, shivering and even yawning. And, believe it or not… ejaculation.
An Ugly Turn
I saw a young couple in the office recently who’ve been having trouble conceiving. The cause was clear: he sustained a motorcycle accident while motocrossing and broke his neck. A complete cervical spinal cord injury. Thanks to modern medicine, he is healthy and lives a productive life. But he doesn’t ejaculate and that makes having kids difficult. So they came in for help.
Not That Complicated
I’ve seen dozens of men in my practice with spinal cord injuries and they continue to inspire me. Their combination of fortitude, strength and positive attitude is legendary. There is no down, only up. And there is usually great news to share with them regarding their ability to conceive: it is very high and often very simple to do. And it’s all because of reflexes.
Now this young man had a very high injury, in the neck, which meant that he was able to use his arms and hands pretty well, but not his fingers or legs. Breaks at this cord level also mean that the spinal cord reflex for ejaculation is preserved and can be used to his benefit to have kids. That means he can eat, sleep, and reproduce, three fundamental biological needs that add real meaning to our lives.
A Jump Start
In a single office visit, I put him through a series of provocative tests and discovered that his G-spot is intact and that it could be stimulated with a specially designed vibrator to induce a normal ejaculation, erection included. I then taught them how to do exactly what I did, so they could do it in the comfort and privacy of their own home, like the birds and bees. The partner can collect the ejaculate and with the use of a diaphragm-like device, perform at-home intracervical insemination carefully timed to her ovulatory cycle.
They are all ready to give this a try. No doctors, no IVF, no laboratories. In fact, 10% of men in my practice with spinal cord injury conceive precisely this way. In the words of Albert Einstein: “Everything in life should be made as simple as possible…” I couldn’t agree more. Oh, and three cheers for reflexes!
