I am back from taking some time away from this blog. I took a break because I needed time to process some information about my health. I created this blog to provide information to women of childbearing age to help improve health outcomes. I wrote about a variety of topics and added some personal experiences when relevant.
There have been many things I wanted to write about over the last few months. The results of the recent election have impacted a large group of Americans. I will blog about something I never thought I would share which are my political, religious beliefs, and racial identity which is something I wanted to keep private out of respect for my followers. I am a Black woman of reproductive age, and I am proud of my identity. I am a firm believer in God and was raised in a Christian household. Some of my relatives and family friends are ordained ministers. I was also raised democratic and most of my friends and family members are democrats. As I got older, I felt more inclined to vote republican but remained registered as a democratic until recently identifying as an independent voter. As a dedicated public servant with years of experience working in nonprofit organizations with underserved individuals, I voted democratic faithfully for my clients. I voted democratic for them to receive their services and resources at the expense of some of my own interests and beliefs. Around the time of this election season, I found out more information about my reproductive health which shifted my view of politics and made me question my loyalty to the democratic party. I plan to have children in the future and visited a fertility clinic. I was diagnosed with something called diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) which means I have a lower-than-average amount of eggs for someone my age. DOR could impact my ability to conceive or could shorten my reproductive window. I had something I previously blogged about (see my blog on Black Women and the Reproductive Health Crisis). When I blogged on how the reproductive health crisis impacting Black women, I was unaware of my DOR and shared the blog to provide information and knowledge to women impacted by reproductive health concerns such as infertility. Through my research, I discovered Black women are more likely to experience infertility but less likely to get treatment. Black women are less likely to have access to Black donor eggs and sperm. Once I found out about my DOR, I researched methods to improve outcomes. According to the research DOR is also more likely in Black women but research overwhelmingly focuses on White women from upper middle-class/wealthy backgrounds.
During this election year the democratic party selected a biracial Black and Indian woman for the candidacy. I wanted to like Kamala Harris as a fellow Black woman but was left disappointed when she stated abortion access was the biggest reproductive issue impacting women. I was disappointed because Black women are more likely to be impacted by the following reproductive issues (see my previous blog on Black Women and the Reproductive Health Crisis for more information):
- Cancers such as breast cancer
- Infertility
- Maternal death and pregnancy related complications
Yet the potential first Black women president did not even acknowledge those issues. Ironically, Donald Trump an older White man who has been deemed a racist, spoke out about the number of Black women dying from childbirth that the democratic party seem to ignore. Donald Trump also discussed the need to protect fertility treatment and IVF, while the democrats only focused on abortion access. For the record I believe in a woman’s right to choose, but that right is not just limited to abortions which is something the democratic party struggled to articulate. The women’s right to choose also relates to fertility treatment and IVF which is currently not regulated or protected by the government. I needed the democratic party to acknowledge that abortion was not the only reproductive health issue impacting women, however, they failed to deliver that this election season.
This election year I found myself relating more to Donald Trump and JD Vance which initially concerned me as a lifelong democrat and public servant. I wanted to like Kamala Harris as a fellow woman of color, but I was left disappointed every time she spoke. I was really torn on who to vote for and wondered if I should vote this election year. I decided to vote out of respect for the sacrifices of those who died to protect this country. Everything in me said to vote for Donald Trump, but for the sake of the families I work with I voted for Kamala Harris, so they could continue to get their resources and services. Finding out that Donald Trump won the election wasn’t a huge disappointment. I only hope that he keeps his promise to protect IVF and fertility treatments. For the countless women and men impacted by fertility issues, such legislation would be necessary as nearly 1 in 6 couples experience infertility.
This blog will shift slightly to discuss topics related to my reproductive health journey, which will include my treatment and possible experience with IVF. I still will include topics on women’s health as well. For those of you that believe in God I appreciate prayers and well wishes as I embark on my own fertility journey.
Wishing you health and happiness
My Mind, My Body, My Journey™ 