I was 16 years old when I experienced my first menstrual bleed. A few cycles passed and my symptoms were worsening each month - the periods were heavy, bleeding through super tampons every hour; I was missing school due to excruciating cramps and getting sick. All of these symptoms should have been immediate red flags that something wasn’t right. Instead, I was told by healthcare providers that the only option to lessen these symptoms is hormonal birth control. Naive and looking for a solution, I took the pills…

After 15+ years of taking hormonal birth control, I felt lost when I stopped in hopes of getting pregnant. Month after month passed with no bleeding (i.e. I wasn’t ovulating and had no chance of pregnancy). I read online it could take 3-6 months to regain a cycle after stopping birth control. Everyone told me to “just relax, it will happen” or “you haven’t been trying that long”… I heard it all. But deep down I knew something wasn’t right. I finally made an appointment with my OBGYN where I was diagnosed with Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (HA) - a condition characterized by the absence of menstruation due to dysfunction in the hypothalamus, a part of the brain responsible for regulating hormone production. In other terms, my HA was caused by over exercising and under fueling. My whole life I was told I was “healthy” and “fit”. I had a normal BMI and my doctors were never concerned with my weight. Which led to being misled that my only option to get pregnant was fertility treatments. I was devastated. Why me?

I did my own research on HA and made it my goal to achieve pregnancy naturally. The competitive side of myself knew I could do it. I just needed a better understanding of how to regulate my hormones and regain my cycle. I worked with a dietician to gain weight and completely change my identity of that “healthy & fit” girl. In 6 weeks, I went from no period to pregnant. Birth control was masking major health issues my body was undertaking. If it wasn’t for my drive to reverse HA, I probably would be knee deep in medical bills and still no baby.

No woman should ever feel isolated in their fertility journey. Everyone woman has a right to understand the details of their own menstrual cycle. I am making it my mission to change the status quo on birth control - I want to give women the confidence they need to make informed decisions about menstrual cycle tracking and raise fertility awareness.

Welcome to Freckled Fertility.