Happy New year to you all and hope you enjoyed your holidays.
I think one of the most important things that we often overlook when it comes to fertility is education. Yes, most of us have had some sort of education whether it is from our parents or our school that briefly describes menstruation and sexual relationships. What these lack though is a better understanding of how the body actually functions after puberty, the hormones that are involved, the changes that occur and when to seek help if something is not right. These are only taught to students who wish to pursue this field in their studies or for people who browse the internet in an attempt to better understand their own bodies which can be dangerous and lead to misunderstandings. I think there is something fundamentally wrong when most of us are not aware of what is going on in our bodies. We are not able to take care of ourselves when we don't know what is going on.
I first contacted Rita through instagram (@expecttoexpect) and invited her to share her journey. It all started when she began questioning taking hormonal contraceptives for 3 years in an attempt to make her periods regular. The pill was prescribed to her to normalize her periods but as soon as she would stop taking the pill, she would revert back to irregular cycles. After consulting different gynecologists, she realized that they were not looking at the root cause and were just offering her a simple/common fix. It is important to note that the pill may be beneficial for many people but she felt like she needed more answers. She decided to look more into the matter and became aware that her irregularities were due to imbalances in her body. She decided to use the fertility awareness method to learn more about her cycles and understand the hormonal causes underlying the irregularities. She began charting her hormones to educate herself by using a mobile app to track her hormones. There are many different applications and websites out there but she used Pearl Fertility to track her FSH, LH and Progesterone which was a turning point for her to start caring about her menstrual health. She continued tracking for 6 weeks and from the results was able to understand that her irregular cycles were due to an uncontrolled diet and nutrient deficiencies rather than hormonal imbalances. She felt like she could finally take charge of her reproductive health.
Rita's story is just one of the many examples that I have come across with the message to seek education and understand how our bodies are supposed to function. Rita, as well as many others, were able to change the course of their fertility by simply acknowledging that something is wrong and seeking knowledge in an attempt to increase their reproductive health. Traditionally, it was taboo and uncommon for women to look into their fertility and increase their knowledge about their reproductive health unless something was abnormal. In these cases, women would feel ashamed and would revert to self criticism instead of trying to find answers. In the world we live in today, this should no longer be the case. We have the resources available to understand what is going on in our bodies and to openly seek help when something is abnormal. I am aware that this is not the case everywhere and there are still women who have trouble seeking help but raising awareness and removing the taboo associated with fertility can help these individuals. Men are also affected by this and lack the necessary information on how their bodies function. And so it is important for everyone to educate themselves.
In some cases, simple lifestyle changes can be made to optimize hormonal functions and increase fertility. Although, in certain cases medication or treatment may be the only route of action, understanding how our reproductive systems function can help ensure we are aware of everything that is going on. Being aware can make it easier to deal with any abnormalities and solve them in the most suitable way. We know our bodies better than anyone and by educating ourselves may be able to increase our fertility potential. If this is not the case, we can provide important information to specialists to cater our specific needs and help us. With the advances in technologies it is much easier to keep track of your hormones and research your reproductive well-being in general. That being said, you should be careful when looking online because even though it can be helpful, it can also be misleading. I would suggest consulting with a specialist as well as trying to understand how your body works because everyone is slightly different. This ensures the best possible course of action if there is any abnormalities and who knows, maybe a simple lifestyle change can help improve your fertility. One major piece of advise would be to be smart about what you read online and always consult a physician before starting any medication/treatment or making major lifestyle changes to ensure it is the right option for you.
Disclaimer: I have not used Pearl Fertility myself, it is just used as an example. If you need any more information you can visit their website.
