For over two decades, including the prime years of my reproductive life, I experienced no menstrual cycle. During my college soccer days, my period ceased, and every doctor and health professional I consulted assured me this was typical for female athletes. I trusted them, assuming that once I left the sport and began nursing school, my cycle would resume.
It never did. The absence of menstruation would take a severe toll on my physical and emotional health for the next twenty years.
Eventually, through my work with FACTS About Fertility, I learned that those reassurances were misguided. The ovulatory-menstrual cycle is a key indicator of overall health. After consulting a new family physician and other experts who understood the cycle's importance, my periods returned and are now regular.
Medical professionals who look for underlying causes view a missing period as a warning sign and treat it accordingly. This is precisely the outcome the Department of Health and Human Services envisions with its recent grants for an infertility training center, and the executive order on women's health signed last month at the White House.
The order, titled "Advancing Women's Health to Improve Outcomes in All Phases of Life," establishes a White House Task Force on Women's Health and a Women's Health Division at the National Institutes of Health. As an advanced practice registered nurse, I recognize the urgent need for better care among the nearly 174 million women in the U.S. Roughly 20% of women have at least one reproductive health condition, and one in six adults worldwide face infertility at some point.
Thirteen years ago, I was diagnosed with functional hypothalamic amenorrhea and told I would never conceive naturally because I wasn't ovulating. The news was devastating for my husband and me. Doctors said there was no treatment, dismissed my concerns by calling me "fit and healthy," and insisted diet and exercise changes wouldn't help.
I was fit, but not healthy. When ovulation doesn't occur, the root cause must be addressed. Too often, women in my situation are steered toward IVF, which I underwent. But IVF didn't fix the underlying reproductive and hormonal issues. It brought physical risks and emotional and financial strain that were overwhelming. My husband and I felt crushed. Now I know there is another path.
In spring 2024, I discovered fertility awareness-based methods and body literacy through organizations like FACTS and FEMM. I learned that the female cycle is a vital sign, and I began to question why no one had explained how harmful anovulation and absent periods were for my bones, heart, and hormones. I also wondered why IVF was presented as the only solution.
I wish I could tell my younger self what I now know: a stopped period is not normal, being fit doesn't always mean healthy, and low blood pressure and heart rate can signal energy deficiency. Changes in exercise and nutrition can profoundly affect your cycle and hormones. And for women with hypothalamic amenorrhea who want to conceive, IVF is not the only option.
I share my story not for sympathy, but to underscore the need for a better healthcare system—one that educates women about their bodies and ensures providers treat reproductive health issues by addressing root causes. I hope the new grants and initiatives will secure that for others like me.
