If you had asked me several years ago to talk openly about my female reproductive system then I would probably have blushed profusely and clammed up. However, since being diagnosed with womb cancer back in late 2009 and having my female bits seen by more people than I care to think about, I’ve certainly become a lot more open to talking about gynaecological issues.
I’m not a prude by any stretch of the imagination but talking openly about things like this just wasn’t really something I felt I needed to talk about in general day to day life!! I had suffered with severe heavy bleeding for many, many years but it never crossed my mind to talk about it with anyone, other than occasionally my husband. It wasn’t even something I discussed with my Mom.
For reasons I won’t go into now, I put up with excessive heavy bleeding for around 35 years until I eventually ended up in hospital, severely anaemic and needing several blood transfusions in May of 2010. I soon discovered that once the NHS has you in its grasp it’s hard to escape!!
Appointments with a Gynaecologist followed and that’s when the dignity went out of the window. From then on, it was a case of calling a spade a spade, or rather a womb a womb!! I discovered that I had several large fibroids and an MRI scan eventually discovered the womb cancer.
One thing I have come to realise over recent years is the lack of knowledge that the vast majority of people have about their own bodies, specifically their reproductive organs – and that includes men as well as women. Sex education in schools has been lacking for many years – infact I don’t think we had that much of it either and I went to school in the 70’s.
The use of silly euphemisms for our sexual organs is something that is a real bug bear of mine. Is it any wonder that young women (and men for that matter) don’t know where a vagina is on an anatomical diagram when most people use silly terms like lady garden or pussy! Also the fact that many seem to confuse the vulva with the vagina – if you can’t even get that bit right then you really need to buy yourself a medical textbook and do some homework.
If women can’t talk openly and use the correct terminology then how on earth are they going to know if anything is going wrong with their reproductive and sexual health? Knowing the facts is the first step to empowering yourself and being in control of your own body.
From menstruation to UTI’s and pregnancy to STD’s– women and young girls need to know the facts and understand what is happening with their gynaecological health. It has to start at a young age, preferably before a young girl starts to menstruate so she doesn’t thing she is suddenly bleeding to death the day she starts her first period.
Be empowered. Know your normal - and make sure you know your vagina from your vulva.
I’m not a prude by any stretch of the imagination but talking openly about things like this just wasn’t really something I felt I needed to talk about in general day to day life!! I had suffered with severe heavy bleeding for many, many years but it never crossed my mind to talk about it with anyone, other than occasionally my husband. It wasn’t even something I discussed with my Mom.
For reasons I won’t go into now, I put up with excessive heavy bleeding for around 35 years until I eventually ended up in hospital, severely anaemic and needing several blood transfusions in May of 2010. I soon discovered that once the NHS has you in its grasp it’s hard to escape!!
Appointments with a Gynaecologist followed and that’s when the dignity went out of the window. From then on, it was a case of calling a spade a spade, or rather a womb a womb!! I discovered that I had several large fibroids and an MRI scan eventually discovered the womb cancer.
One thing I have come to realise over recent years is the lack of knowledge that the vast majority of people have about their own bodies, specifically their reproductive organs – and that includes men as well as women. Sex education in schools has been lacking for many years – infact I don’t think we had that much of it either and I went to school in the 70’s.
The use of silly euphemisms for our sexual organs is something that is a real bug bear of mine. Is it any wonder that young women (and men for that matter) don’t know where a vagina is on an anatomical diagram when most people use silly terms like lady garden or pussy! Also the fact that many seem to confuse the vulva with the vagina – if you can’t even get that bit right then you really need to buy yourself a medical textbook and do some homework.
If women can’t talk openly and use the correct terminology then how on earth are they going to know if anything is going wrong with their reproductive and sexual health? Knowing the facts is the first step to empowering yourself and being in control of your own body.
From menstruation to UTI’s and pregnancy to STD’s– women and young girls need to know the facts and understand what is happening with their gynaecological health. It has to start at a young age, preferably before a young girl starts to menstruate so she doesn’t thing she is suddenly bleeding to death the day she starts her first period.
Be empowered. Know your normal - and make sure you know your vagina from your vulva.
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