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We know this is a stressful time, we hope that our resources are able to bring some comfort in this unstable time. We are experiencing this together!
Infertility:
Infertility:
When we discuss pregnancy it's important that we discuss the events of loss and infertility that many people face when hoping to start a family. Many people who would like to experience pregnancy are unable to, or unable to sustain them. None of this is to the fault of any person, and its important that we remember this as we discuss how loss an occur. Some people experience loss during the birthing process or directly after. It's important that we listen to parents and understand the concerns and realities of parenthood and pregnancy. Some births that result in loss are referred to as a still birth, and this refers to the death of a infant in days leading up to or during the birthing process. Not all still births have a distinct reason, but the risk factors you may have are only able to be detected by your doctor.
For those who experience infertility they may have to go through other procedures and medication treatments in order to conceive. These procedures and medications can cause side effects and are hard for many to endure, so we should definitely understand the physical burden infertility makes people face.
Maternal Fetal Medicine:
Maternal Fetal Medicine:
Maternal Medicine is updating all the time, but the spread of knowledge has a dependency on their ability to practice what they are learning. Maternal health providers are typically OBGYN-MDs, OB Nurses, Midwives, Doulas, and other possible caregivers. When talking to any physician centering your consent to any and all interventions should be the focus of conversation. Having a plethora of knowledge when going to the birthing process is vitally important, we should encourage all people who can get pregnant to learn about pregnancy during their adulthood.
Currently in several states in America where providing any kinds of diagnoses, or treating pregnancy-related conditions, can possibly have consequences of arrest, fines, and jail time. Which has caused many of the maternal physicians and care givers to move their practices to other safer states. This has also resulted in the creation of maternal healthcare deserts, which increases the likelihood of birth complications and maternal mortality.
AFAB: Assigned Female At Birth, this is a term that is includes the majority of women who identify as cisgender women, transgender men, and non-binary folks, who are effected by the ownership of a 'traditionally' female body at birth. Traditional reproductive organs including but not limited to: Vagina, Cervix, Uterus, Ovaries, etc.
AMAB: Assigned Male At Birth, this is a term that includes the majority of men who identify as cisgender men, transgender women, and non-binary folks, who are effected by the ownership of a traditionally male body at birth. Genitalia including but not limited to: Prostate, Penis, Testes, Vas deferens, etc.
Intersex: There are also individuals who are intersex- and have a mixture of traditional sex characteristics; a percent of the population are born this way and some never find out. Intersex individuals have the right to live in their bodies however, and in whatever identity that they feel is right. As we briefly mentioned, many people have a slight variation and never find out they are intersex, due to the standard of assigning people to an oversimplified binary when deciding someone's sex based on developing body parts.
A Menstrual Cycle can also be known as a "Period", "Mother Nature", "Aunt Flow", all of which refers to the bleeding caused by cramping of the uterus through the vaginal opening for 5-7 days. This cycle happens once a month (or 26-36 days) after their first cycle begins. The Menstrual Cycle can happen as early as 7-8 years of age, the average beginning at age 10-13 years of age. However, if your Menstrual Cycle has not shown up by around the age of 15, make sure to check with your doctor to see if you need any extra medical care from an OBGYN or other Medical Professionals. This is the number one reason why discussing Menstrual Cycles at a young age with both young girls and young boys. It's important for us to do a service to our next generational by not hiding the reality of human anatomy. Teaching about menstration and the menopausal process to all young people is important for us to understand the proper ways of having public conversations about menstrual cycles. We say that teaching your child about autonomy, body part identification, and menstrual cycle knowlegde is important starting around ages 5&6. Children know more than you think and it's our job to give them the tools not to get in danger. While it will never be most children, there will always be some who start their menstrual cycles really early (like 7-8 yrs).
*We also want to mention how abortion laws have been protecting abusers and rapists who are close to young victims, by not allowing for abortions, increasing complications to childhood pregnancy, and traumatizing young children.*
Menstrual Cycles can cause unnecessary pain via cramping, headaches & migraines, nausea, bowel issues, and cyst & scare tissue formation with conditions like Endometriosis and Poly-Cystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). When we discuss time off from work, and making equal environments we often discount the menstrual cycles that people experience that may cause them to be unable to work the same.
People who experience menstrual cycles are often referred to as women, but it is also important for us to discuss the trans-men and nonbinary people in the menstruating group. Not everyone wants to be referring to their menstrual cycle as something that is specifically feminine, while others may attach womanhood with their menstrual cycle. All of those identities and feelings are positive, but we have to make room for all of them to exist together.
It's also very important to think about the burden of purchasing menstrual products to manage periods symptoms such as pads, tampons, menstrual cups, period underwear, reusable pads, etc. There are companies that have worked to remove harmful carcinogens such as chlorine, bleach, and the reduction of single use plastics. These menstrual products can also cause toxic shock if there is over exposure to the components of the products. Make sure to research the kind of products you plan to use to an extent. The PINK TAX is real and you can try to avoid it by buying straight from the website, but we all know that getting things off the shelf can be necessary. The purchasing of menstrual products can be very hard on the individuals who have low income, and they are often the least donated item. If you can please take time to donate menstrual products to those in need that can be awesome, but you can also leave them new products in public bathrooms so that someone else can pick them up when needed. If you attend a university or school see if you can get students together to pass a Menstrual Cycle or Period Bill to provide free resources to those in need on campus. Many schools have been recently adopting this practice, for the overwhelming affect it has on the pockets of college and highschool students.
Introductory Resources:
Introductory Resources:
Treatments for Infertility:
Treatments for Infertility:
InVitro-Fertilization
InVitro-Fertilization
InVitro Fertilization is the process of the extraction of both egg and sperm from perspective parents or donated medically, the combination in a petri dish to form an embryo, and then the implantation of that embyro into the uterus of a surrogate or parent.
Intrauterine Insemination
Intrauterine Insemination
This is a process where they track a person's fertility and ovulation, then do a controlled intrauterine insemination (putting sperm into the uterus). This process is typically for those who are not in possession of sperm, or parents with other fertility related challenges.
'De-Sexualizing, Sex' Why we should understand our body's history and prioritize enthusiastic consent:
'De-Sexualizing, Sex' Why we should understand our body's history and prioritize enthusiastic consent:
We hope that we can foster a conversation where the act of sex itself is not sexualized. It is vital that we are able to come together as a species, across both sexes, to understand that sexual activity has historically not always been pleasurable for everyone involved, and the force of birthing and sex on females, has created a generational shift in how one may view sexual activity. When coming at these conversations from a scientific perspective, we have to remain aware that these are functions of our bodies, and for some the lack of function or ability is really difficult to manage. The more we have educated conversations on these topics, the less scared or stigmatizing it will be to experience them. We all have these bodies, yet we still want to live in a world where we pretend we don't know. There is nothing that should be forcibly hidden from the rest of the world, especially if it is about the state of our bodies or lives, we are here on Earth to wittness one another. We should curate a society where there is no justification for unconsensual actions that comes from ever mistaking another human's state of being as 'promiscuity', for that is a grave dishonor to our own species. Promiscuity itself, is a word that should have never needed to exist, only used to describe a women's presentation from a horrendous man's perspective.
Another example, being able to discuss an orgasm and how they can occur for/in different bodies, without sexualizing the context of the conversation, is imperative for us to have a framework and move through discussing the ways pleasure can occur with another person, without creating unnecessary pressure or being uneducated about potential needs.
There are many groups of people who do not experience, or define, sexual pleasure in the ways typical society may; and beyond their ability for such, they carry entire lives with them still. We often forget about people's traumas (old or new), and that emotional, physical, or mental these traumas stay with us, changing in the soft ways they might, but they never go away. We have to keep in mind that outside of ability or want, all bodies experience orgasm and pleasure differently in the physical form. This along, with the complexity of different genitalia potentially needing different stimulation to achieve pleasure, can influence the series of actions so that sexual acts are only pleasurable for one person at a time.
From a neurological perspective, we have to keep in mind that sexual pleasure and sexual desires have always lived in the part of the brain responsible for fight or flight, and our adrenaline centers, which means for those who've experienced a lot of their life in severe fight or flight, sexual activities may be a different experience. It is often that people experience intense emotional releases when they experience sexual pleasure, which is something that we as a society should be foster more in conversation.
Many groups of people experience their pleasure in different ways depending on how sexual activities have occured in their lives, and how it affects them. We know that 1 in 6 women have been assaulted, so we understand that there may be direct trauma associated with the act of sex, and sexual pleasure. The act of sexual reproduction for the intention of birth can also bring it's own from of trauma for many people. Experiencing a misscarriage or loss of a child, is a life-changing experience, one that may temporarily or long-term affect the people who are in that relationship. For parents going through infertility, the act of sexual activity can become associated with negative emotions rather than positive ones. That does not mean that sexual activity isn't pleasurable for people in this situation, but that the pleasure is not being done for the act of pleasure, but to lead to a child.
LGBTQIA+ Experiences with Infertility:
LGBTQIA+ Experiences with Infertility:
Many people throughout all the identities of the LGBTQIA+ community, face fertility and parenting related differences when it comes to access to fertility healthcare, adoption, and overall lack of inability to "conceive naturally." Of course conceiving any pregnancy isn't easily for any couple regardless of their sexuality; however, many queer couples do have to face the inability to do so when they want or easily. We should always hold space in the infertility community for those who are in the LGBTQIA+ community and the aggressions they face when trying to obtain healthcare.
This does not mean that heterosexual couples don't face these same issues we just want to make sure that we discuss the way that this can effect groups differently due to the systems in place around this care.
An unfortunate part of the pregnancy and infertility process is that not all pregnancies are viable or able to survive till birth. The losses that parents suffer during the infertility process and in typical pregnancies is heartbreaking and for many they need others to support them during this time. While some parents may experience flipping emotions and loneliness, it's important to care for the people in your life who are going through infertility. Understand the boundaries that people are setting in their lives and see what you can do to ease the stress they may be feeling while abiding by their boundaries. We advise that those experiencing infertility seek therapy as part of their treatment, as it will be one of the most effective ways to process the on-going traumas one may face throughout the process.
The Option of Adoption:
The Option of Adoption:
Many people have a want to continue their own bloodline when it comes to having children, when it comes to infertility the choice for adoption is wonderful for some parents. For some people who are really passionate about adding other cultures and traditions to their family, adoption is something they are passionate about doing. However, it's important when considering adoption that we keep in mind that they are just as much as our children as biological children would be. It's important to create a loving environment for any child that you bring into your home, and treat them with the caring and kindness that every child deserves. Adoption isn't just a way of getting the child you've always wanted, it's a way for these children to find true loving and supportive families that meet them where they are.
Maternal Fetal Medicine:
Maternal Fetal Medicine:
Maternal Medicine is updating all the time, but the spread of knowledge has a dependency on their ability to practice what they are learning. Maternal health providers are typically OBGYN-MDs, OB Nurses, Midwives, Doulas, and other possible caregivers. When talking to any physician centering your consent to any and all interventions should be the focus of conversation. Having a plethora of knowledge when going to the birthing process is vitally important, we should encourage all people who can get pregnant to learn about pregnancy during their adulthood.
Currently in several states in America where providing any kinds of diagnoses, or treating pregnancy-related conditions, can possibly have consequences of arrest, fines, and jail time. Which has caused many of the maternal physicians and care givers to move their practices to other safer states. This has also resulted in the creation of maternal healthcare deserts, which increases the likelihood of birth complications and maternal mortality.
A pregnant person's most likely fatal experience is homicide by their partner, coming in second is suicide, this is the result of sex-based violence and restricted access to healthcare. Black women are also 3 times as likley to die from a health complication than a white woman, this is because during the birthing process, black mothers are not believed in their pain and experiences.
"The JADA System is intended to provide control and treatment of abnormal postpartum uterine bleeding or hemorrhage when conservative management is warranted." (from their site)
Suggested by Jen Hamilton R.N. (OB), as a device that you should ask your provider about having at their facility during your birthing process. As it is a device that significantly decreases the likelihood of a typically fatal postpartum hemorrhage to result in a loss of life.
Knowing what kinds of relationships we have with the people around us can be very important. Our page on Relationships explains some of the ways that we can identify or relationships with others, but also how these relationships may effect us and the people around us. Avoiding Predators can also be something to look into that we prefer that all individuals prepare for.
Other pages like this:
Other pages like this:
There is always more research being done!
There is always more research being done!
If you would like to help us write about commonly silenced areas or personal experiences you may have with these topics, contact us at thisisactivism2023@gmail.com or fill out our Comments page. We want our website to be a continuous growth of knowledge to share with each other in a positive way. There are so many things we don't talk about and we should!
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