As Told By Childless Women with Jobi Tyson Tutum Global

In this episode, retired police officer Kelli Williams reflects on her secret life of infertility in the 90’s and how her heartbreaking experience as a foster parent inadvertently led her to become a foster care advocate.

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In this episode, Catrina Dupuis candidly discusses the combined infertility diagnoses of both she and her husband, advanced maternal age causing low egg reserve, and the alienation of experiencing infertility.

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In this episode, Dayna Mohan talks about her devastating losses, long-term mental and physical effects, and the inner-strength she found to transform pain into power and wounds into wisdom.

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In this episode, Sadie Tichelaar curiously discusses the highs and ‘often-stigmatized’ lows of being childfree by choice; also despite being confident in her decision, she finds herself undermined by society's inability to separate womanhood and motherhood.

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In this episode, Mandi Schwab opens up about experiencing multiple miscarriages, early menopause; and she breaks down the IVF process, causes of IVF failure and its heavy toll on physical and mental health.

Terms used:
Birth control pills: A daily medication that contains 2 hormones (estrogen and
progestin) to prevent pregnancy — or manage and suppress heavy periods.

Early Menopause (or premature menopause): A loss of normal function of the ovaries before age 40. In early menopause, the ovaries don't produce normal amounts of the hormone estrogen or release eggs regularly.

Endometriosis: A medical condition that involves the presence of tissue similar to the uterine lining in abnormal locations. This condition can affect both fertilization of the egg and embryo implantation.

Involuntarily childless: Someone who wants children or is open to children but can’t have them or unable to have children due to various circumstances.

IVF (or In vitro fertilization): In vitro which means outside the body, is a process of fertilization by extracting eggs, retrieving a sperm sample, and then manually combining an egg and sperm in a laboratory dish. The embryo(s) is then transferred to the uterus.

Miscarriage: The spontaneous loss of a pregnancy before the 20th week.

Ovulation: This occurs when an egg is released from your ovary. When the egg is released, it may or may not be fertilized by sperm.

Premature ovarian failure: Also known as primary ovarian insufficiency or early menopause, happens when a woman's ovaries stop working normally before she is 40.

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In this episode, cancer survivor Tish Smith explains endometrial cancer, while discussing early signs, causes, treatments, and aftereffects.

Terms used:
Endometrial cancer (uterine cancer): A cancer of the womb, or uterus, with adenocarcinoma of the endometrium the most common type. Endometrial cancer starts in the layer of cells that form the lining of the womb, called the endometrium.

Endometrial hyperplasia: Thickens the uterus lining, causing heavy or abnormal bleeding. Atypical endometrial hyperplasia raises the risk of endometrial cancer and uterine cancer. Endometrial hyperplasia is rare. It affects approximately 133 out of 100,000 women.

Laparoscopic hysterectomy: A minimally invasive surgical procedure to remove the uterus.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS): A common hormonal condition in which an imbalance in the sex hormones may cause menstrual abnormalities, skin and hairchanges, obesity, infertility and other long-term health problems. The name comes from the multiple small cysts which line the ovaries of most women with the disorder.

Uterine polyps: Growths attached to the inner wall of the uterus that extend into the uterine cavity. Overgrowth of cells in the lining of the uterus (endometrium) leads to the formation of uterine polyps, also known as endometrial polyps. These polyps are usually noncancerous (benign), although some can be cancerous or can eventually turn into cancer (precancerous polyps).

Watch this interview on YouTube.com/ChildlessWomen

To support our series, visit www.AsToldByChildlessWomen.com