How my internship has opened my eyes to women’s reproductive health

I approached the co founders of IVFbabble and Babble Health to join them with an internship and it has opened my eyes to women’s reproductive health

There’s never a better age to learn about reproductive health than when you’re in your teens or early twenties. Or even younger! It certainly isn’t being taught in school, yet it’s so key!

When I started my internship as a research assistant, initially with IVFBabble, it provided me with awareness about a topic most teens don’t even think about. The medical and scientific research material that I was reviewing typically gets addressed at a later stage in life, and something that many teens find uncomfortable or embarrassing to speak about.

However why is it that we learn all about sciences, history, and languages, but what about our future reproductive health?

I know some American high schools have a class called “Health,” and I truly believe the same should be launched in all schools across all States and countries too

I know I’m lucky – curiosity allowed me to grow academically through high school, pursuing my goals of university, where I am now in the process of applications. However, I wanted to reach even further, and that’s why I got involved with IVFBabble.

Based on my research with IVFBabble, I now have an informed viewpoint and degree of knowledge around a variety of topics within fertility and reproductive health.

The concept of fertility health is something that typically gets addressed at a later stage in life, but I feel so lucky to have learned about this earlier

But why should it be by luck? Everyone should be taught this information!

With my internship I have seen how many men and women report reproductive health problems every day, this has helped me to observe a pattern. Undiagnosed disorders, such as endometriosis, appear to be a recurrent theme among people who are trying to conceive, but have had setbacks.

I came across a statistic stating that up to 50% of women experiencing issues later in life had not been properly diagnosed with endometriosis. I prepared data and collected information through my questioning on endometriosis, and I even spoke with women who were affected first-hand.

Many of these women prioritise and look after their health, but they had been denied the education, testing, and treatment that could have helped them!

In terms of education, it doesn’t have to be complicated! After all, the amount of reads IVFBabble gets shows how accessible this information can be to those who need it.

My experience and research position within the company has expanded my knowledge about fertility issues, reproductive health in general, and available treatments, as well as garnering a deeper understanding of the emotional wellbeing and health issues faced by women around the world.

This has only increased my desire to continue in research in the future

While, as a teenager, this may seem like an odd or even uncomfortable area to work in, through my experience working with the IVFbabble co founders, I believe that reproductive health should be prioritised at any age.

Everyone has the right to access factual information. After all, knowledge is power

I hope to continue contributing to this knowledge in years to come. I have always wanted a future in STEM, specifically research and medicine, and this experience has solidified my goals. I want to join forces with organisations like IVFbabble and Babble Health, who are doing so much to focus on providing people experiencing fertility issues and/or going through IVF treatment, the support they need and also providing factual education about reproductive health.

The issue is too important to ignore!

Tracey and Sara, co-founders of IVFbabble and Babble Health say:

“We can’t thank Alle enough for sharing her thoughts and her amazing contribution to IVFbabble and Babble Health. We completely agree that reproductive healthcare education should start at school, allowing us all to be proactive, rather than reactive – giving everyone options for their future families.”