Young Mother Brings Light to Early Menopause Struggles
A Bristol woman of thirty-two years, Emily Courtney, has raised concerns about her experiences with premature menopause after giving birth to her twin children. This is an ordeal she has been wrestling with since her teenage years, an issue even more troubling given the lack of support from the medical professionals she had turned to for help.
Dismissive Medical Response
Encouraged by her mother to seek medical help during her teens, Courtney was met with distressing advice from doctors. She was recommended to bear children at a young age, a dismissive suggestion that did little to address her worries about possible fertility issues. It is not uncommon for women with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) to face such brushed-off responses from healthcare providers.
Success in Conception: A Silver Lining
However, even after receiving a diagnosis of POI alongside experiencing a heartbreaking miscarriage, Courtney was persistent in her quest to become a mother. Spanning across months of effort, she was finally able to conceive, using a combination of Clomid and HRT therapies. Despite the hardship, she was victorious in this journey.
Early Menopause Symptoms Post Birth
Courtney’s struggle did not end post-partum. Having given birth to her twins, she was struck with severe symptoms of menopause, an intensity not usually linked to new motherhood. Yet, general practitioners (GPs) dismissed her symptoms as simply stress resulting from the responsibilities of parenthood.
Highlighting a Widespread Issue
Today, Courtney has been readmitted to HRT to manage her ongoing menopausal symptoms. Using her experiences as fuel for change, she founded ‘Mothering and the Menopause’, an initiative aimed at providing support and help to other women facing similar circumstances. She emphasizes the need to improve professionals’ understanding and knowledge of menopause, particularly POI.
A Professional Perspective
Backing up her remarks, Hazel Hayden, a specialist with the British Menopause Society, emphasizes the prevalent issue of women being dismissed due to healthcare professionals’ ignorance and lack of training. This is especially apparent when addressing conditions like menopause and POI.
Towards Greater Awareness
By sharing her story, Courtney hopes to lift the veil of ignorance that often surrounds this issue. She stresses the significance of inspiring understanding among healthcare providers, essential for more support and appropriate treatment for women dealing with menopause.
Mothering and the Menopause
- Founded as a direct response to the lack of help and support available to women in similar positions
- Advocates for more extensive education and better understanding among healthcare providers
- Offers a community for women to share their experiences and find support
- Wants to inspire change in the medical community’s understanding of menopause and POI
