A concerning health issue I have is women and infertility issues. These issues can arise as early as mid thirties for women. I believe fertility awareness programs should be more prevalent in our Obstetrics and Gynecological offices and in standard care for women. Egg quality declines as women age. These days it is very common to have females becoming educated and then working on their careers before having children. I believe with more women being in tune with their bodies, preventable ways to avoid underlying diseases that lead to infertility, and knowing their options (such as egg freezing etc), such issues could be avoided. I interviewed two women on their thoughts on health issues of concern:
1. Alena H. 22 years old. Caucasian. Legal Assistant
" I believe breast cancer is a health issue I am most concerned with because my mother had breast cancer. I do not want something to escalate for months and me not know about it. I want to know the symptoms and catch something early so I can take precautions to prevent it."
2. Cynthia T. 40 years old. Hispanic. Medical Assistant
" I would have to say educating young women about fertility issues. Most importantly educating women on how STD's can affect your fertility and about ovarian reserve options. As we become older, ovarian reserve declines and then makes it difficult to achieve pregnancy. STD's can cause blocked tubes and most young women are unaware of this issue. Block reproductive tubes give one no chance of conceiving on their own; one will have to resort to in vitro fertilization. When women are educated about their fertility then they are able to make the right choices for themselves."
I share the same concern as Cynthia. We actually work in the reproductive field together and see the issues at hand in women as young as 30. Not only will they have to resort to in vitro services, but sometimes even 3rd party, such as egg donation or surrogacy. I am glad she brought up something as STD's in young women and the damage it can cause in the future if not educated and treated as soon as possible.
---Jossie
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