As a medical copywriter and translator, I have spent a lot of time researching various health issues. For many years, I have been very interested in sexual and reproductive health in particular and have read widely around these issues. In this article, I would like to highlight some of the most common women’s health issues and give my recommendations for resources.
Menstrual health
Menstruation is something that unites most women (and some trans and non-binary folk), but a lot of us can agree that it can cause a lot of issues. There are various menstrual disorders that women (and others) might experience, including endometriosis, menorrhagia (heavy periods), amenorrhea (a lack of bleeding) and dysmenorrhea (severe menstrual cramps). Unfortunately, doctors are sometimes dismissive of these issues and may use medical paternalism to make decisions for you, so inform yourself to better make decisions for yourself. If you would like to educate yourself on the menstrual cycle and learn more about these disorders, you could read:
- Period Power by Maisie Hill. In this book, Hill clearly explains the menstrual cycle and common disorders you might experience. She addresses how to approach these issues with healthcare practitioners and some non-therapeutic options you might want to try. She also looks into how your menstrual cycle can affect your productivity, mood and other factors. With her help, you can use this information to plan your schedule effectively. While some of her suggestions might seem a little ‘woo woo’, it is a thoroughly useful read nonetheless.
- Red Moon Gang by Tara Costello. Costello is a UK-based writer who has written an inclusive guide to periods. As most guides to periods are very female-focused, she felt it was important to write one that used inclusive language to make trans and non-binary folk feel more included. This book also addresses sexual health and various menstrual disorders.
- The Hormone Diaries by Hannah Witton. This book is fantastic for teen readers. It clearly explains menstrual health in a very down-to-earth manner – a perfect beginner’s guide to this issue.
Sexual health and pregnancy
The fact that people with uteruses can create new life has always been something that astounds me. What upsets me, though, is that women’s health care often overlooks their pain. As such, I think it is really important to educate yourself on sexual health and pregnancy, even in advance of actually engaging in these activities. Some fantastic resources for doing so are:
- Doing It by Hannah Witton. This is a fantastic guide aimed at teenager readers on sexual health and sexuality. It approaches all elements of this issue: physical, physiological and psychological.
- Hannah Witton’s YouTube channel, in particular, her series called The Hormone Diaries. She addresses various topics relating to sex and sexuality, from STDs to sex toy reviews. In The Hormone Diaries Season 1, she documents her journey coming off hormonal contraception after ten years of using it. In The Hormone Diaries Season 2, she records her and her husband’s conception journey. Also, she talks about living with a stoma and how this affects her sex life.
- Melanie Murphy’s YouTube channel. While she vlogs on a variety of issues, Murphy predominantly talks about sex and relationships. In the past year, she has focused on her pregnancy and raising a child.
- Jessica Kellgren-Fozard’s YouTube channel. A disabled, lesbian YouTuber, Kellgren-Fozard talks about various topics, including sex and relationships, being a disabled woman, parenthood as a lesbian mother, her and her wife’s conception journey, and LGBTQ+ issues.
So that’s my roundup on resources for educating yourself on women’s health. If you have any more suggestions for me, let me know in the comments because I’m always looking to learn!And if you’re interested in my skills as a medical translator and copywriter, please drop me a line on verity.roat@cantab.net.
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