“I think all of us who speak about our reproductive challenges wish we didn’t have to,” continued Gwen, whose husband, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, is running for vice president on Vice President Kamala Harris’ ticket. “You would think that you’d get used to it, but you don’t… Still, it’s too important, and the fight is too real.”

Gwen explained that she first decided to share her story when the Alabama Supreme Court effectively ended in vitro fertilization (IVF) in the state by ruling that embryos should be considered children under state law. When the decision came out, Gwen remembered telling her husband that they “absolutely [did] not have a choice” when it came to speaking about their own fertility journey publicly. Until that point, the couple hadn’t talked about it at all, even with people close to them, but the news “brought us to our knees.”

The Walzs had always wanted a family, Gwen explained, and became “increasingly concerned” when it didn’t happen naturally. They started fertility treatments and Gwen was prescribed Clomid, a medication that “increases your chances of pregnancy by helping your body produce an egg,” according to the Cleveland Clinic. Gwen also needed to get shots before an intrauterine insemination (IUI) procedure “that would increase my chances of pregnancy and successful fertilization,” she explained.

Exactly which fertility treatments the Walzs used in those days was subject to some confusion earlier in the campaign, prompting Gwen to clarify that she’d undergone IUI, not IVF. IUI is a procedure that increases the chances of pregnancy by “placing specially prepared sperm directly in the uterus” during ovulation, per Mayo Clinic. IVF is a more complex process that involves collecting and removing mature eggs from the ovaries, fertilizing them with sperm in a lab, and placing one or more eggs in the uterus, according to Mayo Clinic.

Gwen described the stress and heartache brought on by “years” of infertility and the complications the couple experienced “with just simple procedures and processes.” She and Tim “took breaks,” especially during stressful times like the end of the school year, as the couple were both teachers at the time. “It is a journey,” she said. “You’re just trying different things, or even cycling through different doctors.” The hardest part, she recalled was waiting to find out if a treatment had worked, and said it “felt like a failure” when it didn’t.

In the fact of all the stress, Gwen knew she needed to stay as “even-keeled” as possible. She felt a need to “control” her mental health, she said, “because you don’t want to throw off anything in the process by being too upset or too anxious or too excited.”

Eventually, their hard work and patience paid off. Gwen and Tim successfully conceived via IUI, and their daughter, Hope, was born in January 2001. Their son Gus was born in October 2006.

Despite how hard it is to relive those years of treatment, Gwen said, she’s determined to use her story to help others. On the campaign trail, she shared, people “thank me for telling my story, and they tell me a bit of their story.” The Minnesota first lady described that experience as “galvanizing,” and it shows that what she’s doing has a real impact. “I tell my story in the hope that it will empower people to take their own power,” Walz said, “and change the way forward.”

Before you go, read about the celebrities who’ve opened up about their abortion experiences:

Early this spring, the 5^th Circuit Court of Appeals jeopardized the program’s mission. A three-judge panel upheld a Texas law that required family planning clinics to obtain parental consent before distributing birth control to minors. Six other states have introduced similar bills.

Per Guttmacher, the bills “mirror prior efforts to normalize parental consent and involvement laws for abortion access,” which can increase stigma around birth control and lead to safety concerns for minors — like, for example, being kicked out of their home for trying to get birth control.

On a small scale, the bills and the decision by the 5^th Circuit make accessing birth control harder for teens in those states. The consequence will be more unplanned teen pregnancies. Studies of parental consent requirements consistently show that parental involvement “would discourage few teenagers from having sex, but would likely result in more teenagers’ using the least effective methods, such as withdrawal, or no method at all.”

On a larger scale, though, the impact is not limited to teens in a few states. Teens throughout the country will be affected by the mandates, which will certainly “contribute to the continued erosion of reproductive rights for young people, who are among the most vulnerable to attacks on bodily autonomy,” according to a statement from Jane’s Due Process, a teen reproductive rights organization in Texas.

SheKnows spoke to medical and legal experts to help parents — and teens — understand the discourse around parental consent requirements and how bills like the one in Texas could change things for your teen, especially during an election year where reproductive rights are at stake.

Why Is Birth Control a Target?

Proponents of parental consent mandates rely heavily on the stigma around birth control to push their agenda. They take advantage of the fact that a significant percentage of the population confuses birth control, emergency contraception, and often the basic facts about pregnancy. They use this confusion to liken birth control to abortion, which then inflames a particular — usually the far right — segment of the population.

Groups like Human Life International and Student for Life of America stir up this confusion by redefining when pregnancy starts. Medical experts, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, agree that pregnancy begins after a fertilized egg attaches to the lining of the uterine wall— AKA implantation. These groups make the misleading argument that pregnancy begins earlier — before implantation — and equate anything that prevents either ovulation (release of an egg) or fertilization with abortion. Essentially, they make the argument that birth control can abort a pregnancy before that pregnancy even begins. 

The goal is to “make it confusing, make people fear things, and people who might be against abortion want to align with others who think similarly, so when birth control gets looped in with one of their issues that kind of fuels the fire,” Dale Margolin Cecka, assistant professor of law at the Albany Law School and director of the Family Violence Litigation Clinic, tells SheKnows. “A lot is smoke and mirrors.”

When it comes to minors, the stigma around birth control is even more pronounced. “Whenever we start to talk about children, people get nervous. They don’t like the idea of their own kids having sex,” Jessie Hill, JD, the associate dean and Judge Ben C. Green Professor of Law at Case Western Reserve University who specializes in reproductive rights, confirms to SheKnows.

Not only do they not like the idea, but many are also misinformed. “Many parents feel uncomfortable discussing sexual and reproductive health topics openly, partly because of insufficient sex education,” Dr. Jason Bell, an OB-GYN and director of medical affairs at Organon, tells SheKnows.

When it comes to birth control specifically, among some parents there’s a prevailing ( and mistaken) impression that making contraception available will encourage teens to have sex. But the reality is, teens are having sex — whether they’re seeking out birth control or not.

“This country has a hang-up about sex and is in absolute denial about the statistics of how many high school students have sex,” notes Dr. Sophia Yen, co-founder and chief medical officer of Pandia Health, an online hormonal health clinic focusing on reproductive health. According to Dr. Yen, approximately 10 percent of high school freshmen are having sex. That number jumps 10 percent every year — meaning approximately 40 percent of high school seniors are having or had heterosexual sex.  

It’s also important to remember that birth control isn’t always about sex. “[S]ome young women may seek a birth control option for reasons other than pregnancy prevention, like to help lighten periods, have less painful periods, or improve acne,” Dr. Bell said.

Targeting teenagers’ access to birth control is just “fear-mongering moral panic…and it’s just trying to drum up fear and confusion,” confirms Cecka.

‘A Gray Area’: Why Minors’ Access To Birth Control Is a Target

The stigma around birth control for minors is just one of the factors driving some states to impose restrictions on adolescents’ access to birth control. The other big factor behind the push: ambiguous case law.  “Legally speaking, this is in a gray area in terms of the rights and when and under what circumstances minors have a right to access contraception without parental consent,” Hill says. “There’s some case law indicating that minors have a right to access contraception, but it’s not as clear that they have a right without parents involved.”

The ambiguity leads into a conversation about protecting parental rights. Proponents of the bills argue that allowing teens to access birth control without parental consent violates a parent’s right — codified in the 14^th Amendment — to make decisions about custody and care of children.

But this argument muddies the purpose of the 14^th Amendment. “My view is that parental consent is not a good claim because that’s not what this is about,” says Hill, who emphasizes that the 14^th Amendment is supposed to protect families from the government interfering with parental decisions. However, mandates like the one in Texas are actually inviting states to intervene in family matters.

Parental Consent Requirements Will Negatively Impact Teens

Behind the discussion about murky case law, religious beliefs, and parental rights is the simple truth that, despite our differences, most of us want to do what’s best for our teens. Fortunately, regarding this, there is clarity: parental consent requirements are not best for our teens.

Teens are less likely to seek out sexual health services when parental involvement is mandated, but not less likely to have sex. “They will continue, and they just won’t get birth control, and that results in unplanned pregnancies,” says Dr. Yen.

The research confirms Dr. Yen’s conclusion. One recent study out of Texas reviewed adolescents’ experiences accessing confidential birth control and found that less than half were able to attend an appointment for contraception. The study found that “[p]articipants wanted to be proactive about preventing pregnancy by using more effective contraceptive methods but faced resistance from adults when they initiated conversations about sex and contraception or tried to obtain consent.”

“Abstinence is only 100% effective until sexual activity begins,” says Dr. Bell, who notes that his public health training “emphasizes the importance of open access to education on birth control and accessibility to the various options because it helps prevent unintended pregnancies.”

Teens are less likely to seek out sexual health services even in families where teens voluntarily share a lot of health information with their parents and other trusted adults, confirms Dr. Yen. She urges parents to remember themselves as teenagers and to ask themselves this question: “Did you tell your parents when you started having sex?” For most of us, the answer is no.

For some teens, involving their parents in their decision to seek out sexual health services could result in dangerous consequences. Many minors who don’t involve parents or trusted adults in their decision to get contraception have a reason. “We’ve seen parents kick young women out of the house, and have heard one story of a family setting their daughter on fire,” says Dr. Yen.

While all teens will likely be negatively impacted, the unfortunate reality is that low-income and teens from marginalized populations will be most affected. They will have the most trouble accessing or navigating out-of-state family planning services or using telehealth. And, of course, since in most of these states abortion is also harder to access or illegal, these teens will also have the most trouble obtaining state support after the baby is born, says Cecka.

Parental Consent Laws As A Stepping Stone To Further Restrictions

Open access to contraception is not just about preventing teen pregnancy. The true cost of imposing parental consent mandates will be felt through the “whole menu of sexual health services Title X clinics offer, including testing for STIs,” notes Cecka. “We’ve come so far with reproductive health for young people, and this [mandating parental consent] really could start to unravel so much of what health education is about.”

This reality has already played out. A 2006 study found teenage girls who reported forgoing healthcare due to confidentiality concerns had a higher prevalence of not using birth control at last sexual intercourse, prior history of sexually transmitted infection, and mental health concerns.

The unavoidable truth is that limiting teen’s access to contraception is not just about birth control. It’s another step on a slippery slope toward restricting all women’s access to contraception and sexual health services.

A study published earlier this year in Health Affairs affirms this. The study found evidence that barriers to birth control had increased in at least four states and “reports of receiving high-quality contraceptive care” had decreased since Roe was overturned. The study authors highlight that one of the fallouts of the Dobbs decision is that “access to broader contraceptive care is worsening.”

“[I]t’s really part of a larger just overall agenda of putting a woman’s body in the hands of legislators and with priorities that align with restricting reproductive rights as a whole,” confirms Cecka.

Considering that we’re in our first post-Dobbs presidential election year and reproductive rights are particularly at stake, the push toward parental consent mandates is of concern to all teens and parents, whether they live in a state like Texas or not. It’s another roadblock for women to make decisions about their body — and this time, the impacts will be felt by our teens.

Before you go, read about the celebrities who’ve opened up about their abortion experiences:

Along with the joys of welcoming your little one into the world, comes a slew of individualized postpartum choices and challenges. The last thing you should have to worry about is figuring out your birth control plan…where do you even begin?!

So, we’re here to lend a hand. We spoke with two OBGYNs about: things to know while navigating postpartum, birth control planning and why an intrauterine device (IUD) may be a good option to consider, and what to discuss with your doctor to ensure you’re choosing an appropriate birth control option that may work for you. Here’s what they had to say.

You can get pregnant while breastfeeding

You’re probably already aware that breastfeeding can offer a range of health benefits for both you and your baby. If you’re planning to breastfeed, you may also have heard that you can’t get pregnant during this time but…that’s not exactly true.

“Although some women believe it’s not possible to get pregnant while breastfeeding, the reality is, it’s just less likely – but still possible,” explains Jessica Shepherd, MD, MBA, gynecologist, and women’s health expert.

While the likelihood of becoming pregnant may be lower during the time you’re breastfeeding, there is no way to predict when your body will start ovulating again and it usually occurs 2 weeks before your menstruation starts, this means that you can get pregnant even if you have not yet had a period. There are many factors that can influence when your body starts ovulating after childbirth. The hormone associated with breastfeeding, called prolactin, plays a role in when you resume ovulation. And while your prolactin levels can fluctuate for a variety of reasons, it’s often associated with frequency and duration of breastfeeding, suckling and pumping. As these decline – prolactin, too, is likely to decline, which sends a signal to your body to start ovulating again. Most women begin their period about six months postpartum, a sign that ovulation has resumed, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) but research shows that you can get pregnant earlier than 6 weeks after giving birth and though uncommon, it is possible to get pregnant even before you start having your period again.  

Seven in 10 pregnancies in the first year postpartum are unplanned

While getting intimate with your partner after giving birth may be the last thing on your mind, the day could arrive before you know it. Unless you’re ready to have another baby, having a contraception plan in place to avoid an unplanned pregnancy will make getting cozy in the sheets a lot less stressful.

In fact, one study found that 7 out of 10 pregnancies that occur within one year of giving birth were unplanned.

“Most times it is due to a lack of understanding on how quickly ovulation returns and also being so involved with a newborn, that birth control isn’t top of mind,” says Dr. Shepherd.

But that doesn’t mean you cannot be proactive and effectively family plan. 

“The best way to address a birth control plan is to do so during pregnancy,” advises Maria Sophocles, MD, gynecologist and women’s health advocate. She says to consider your postpartum family planning in your second trimester, a time when women typically have the most energy to prepare.

An IUD may be a low-maintenance option that can be inserted right away

In the haze of postpartum and caring for a newborn, remembering to stay on top of your birth control can be overwhelming. An IUD provides no daily routine as a pill-free, low-maintenance birth control option. Instead, you will have to check for the threads once a month on your own.

The Mirena IUD is a hormone-releasing IUD that prevents pregnancy for up to 8 years and can be inserted right after birth or at your 6-week check-up and is one of the most effective, reversible forms of birth control available.

The risk of perforation is increased with insertion after delivery if Mirena is inserted while you are breastfeeding, or if you have recently given birth. The risk of expulsion is increased with insertion after delivery.

Mirena is a small flexible plastic T-shaped system that slowly releases a progestin hormone. Two thin threads are also attached to the lower end of Mirena, however, unlike a tampon string, the threads do not extend outside your body. At insertion, your healthcare provider will first examine your pelvis to find the exact position of your uterus. They will then clean your vagina and cervix with an antiseptic solution and slide a slim plastic tube containing Mirena through the cervix into your uterus. Your healthcare provider will then remove the plastic tube and leave Mirena in your uterus. Following placement, your healthcare provider will then cut the threads to the right length.

You may experience pain, bleeding or dizziness during and after placement. If your symptoms do not pass within 30 minutes after placement, Mirena may not have been placed correctly. Your healthcare provider will examine you to see if Mirena needs to be removed or replaced.

The Mirena IUD is also reversible—which means, if you want to stop using it, you can have it removed by your healthcare provider if plans change.

Mirena may not be right for everyone so it’s important to talk to your healthcare provider to see if it is a good option for you. Things will get busy once the baby comes, so have a conversation with your provider about your postpartum plans.

INDICATION FOR MIRENA

Mirena^®️ (levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system) is a hormone-releasing IUD that prevents pregnancy for up to 8 years. Mirena also treats heavy periods for up to 5 years in women who choose intrauterine contraception.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

If you have a pelvic or genital infection, get infections easily, or have certain cancers, don’t use Mirena. Less than 1% of users get a serious pelvic infection called pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).

If you have persistent pelvic or stomach pain, or excessive bleeding after placement, tell your healthcare provider (HCP). If Mirena comes out, call your HCP and avoid intercourse or use non-hormonal back-up birth control (such as condoms or spermicide). Mirena may go into or through the wall of the uterus and cause other problems.

Pregnancy while using Mirena is uncommon but can be life threatening and may result in loss of pregnancy or fertility.

Ovarian cysts may occur but usually disappear.

Bleeding and spotting may increase in the first 3 to 6 months and remain irregular. Periods over time usually become shorter, lighter, or may stop.

Mirena does not protect against HIV or STIs.

Only you and your HCP can decide if Mirena is right for you. Mirena is available by prescription only.

For important risk and use information about Mirena, please see the accompanying Full Prescribing Information.

Visit Mirena.com to learn more.

Dr. Sophocles does not provide paid consultation services to Bayer and is not being compensated for this information. Dr. Shepherd has provided paid consultation services to Bayer in the past but is not being compensated for this information.

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For context, Melania’s memoir (entitled, naturally, Melania) is coming out Oct. 8, and she’s been promoting the hell out of it. Among other revelations, including the story of her first date with her now-husband, the book reportedly features what seems to be a lengthy section on abortion — and the author is making it crystal clear where she stands.

“Restricting a woman’s right to choose whether to terminate an unwanted pregnancy is the same as denying her control over her own body,” Melania writes, according to The Guardian. “I have carried this belief with me throughout my entire adult life.”

Explaining her stance, Melania writes that it’s “imperative to guarantee that women have autonomy in deciding their preference of having children, based on their own convictions, free from any intervention or pressure from the government. Why should anyone other than the woman herself have the power to determine what she does with her own body? A woman’s fundamental right of individual liberty, to her own life, grants her the authority to terminate her pregnancy if she wishes.”

As if that wasn’t shocking enough, Melania later defends the right to a later-stage abortion — something Republicans have vehemently opposed, and about which her own husband has been busy spreading misinformation. (Reminder: Post-birth abortions aren’t a thing.) Melania calls such abortions “extremely rare,” explaining that they’re usually prompted by “severe fetal abnormalities” that would likely result in a stillbirth and/or threaten the life of the mother. (According to the CDC, more than 90 percent of US abortions occur at or before 13 weeks, with less than 1 percent taking place after 21 weeks.)

“Timing matters,” Melania goes on, listing “legitimate” reasons to get an abortion, like danger to the life of the mother, rape, or incest, and congenital birth defects.

It’s a lot to absorb. And it’s… surprising, to put it lightly.

Melania has long shied away from speaking on policy, choosing to focus on raising her son, Barron Trump, during Donald Trump’s 2016-2020 term. But with Barron off at college, could it be that this empty nester has found her voice — and just now remembered her lifelong passion for reproductive rights? Or is Team Trump just trying to shore up their unpopular views on a critical issue?

The latter feels more realistic, when you consider the massive amounts of backpedaling and rephrasing that Trump and running mate JD Vance have been doing when it comes to abortion. Trump, for example, once crowned himself the “most pro-life president ever,” then decided that a six-week abortion ban is too short, only to change his mind and proclaim he would support a six-week abortion ban. Vance, on the other hand, tried to sidestep an abortion question at this week’s vice presidential debate, instead speaking on the need for affordable childcare. (FYI, we can and should have both.) And no, he added, he doesn’t support a federal abortion ban; he just wants a “minimum national standard.” What’s the difference, you ask? There isn’t one.

The Republican ticket simply can’t figure out how to flip their record on abortion into a positive. This is the party that rolled back federal abortion rights in a country where 63 percent of adults believe it should be legal in all or most cases, per a 2024 Pew Research Center poll, so yeah, it’s an uphill battle. And in the face of all the unpopularity and back-and-forth, Melania’s suddenly passionate support of the issue just feels too convenient.

And even if it is the truth, even if she has spent her “entire adult life” quietly (read: silently) supporting abortion, you have to wonder where that energy has been for the past decade. Where were these impassioned words three years ago, when the Supreme Court justices her husband selected overturned Roe v. Wade?

Look, we know the First Lady doesn’t make policy, issue executive orders, or nominate justices to the highest court in the land. And we have no way of knowing what kind of influence Melania has on her husband, if any — although in another excerpt from her book published by The Guardian, she wrote about having “occasional political disagreements” with the former president, noting that she “believed in addressing them privately rather than publicly challenging him.” She does say that she pushed Donald to drop a hardline immigration policy, seemingly proving that she has at least some sway.

Barring any other memoir bombshells, we don’t and will likely never know what their conversations on abortion are/were like, if they happened at all, and whether she tried to steer him away from the decisions that would ultimately decimate reproductive rights in the US. Absent any reports of those conversations, lacking any previous proof of the “lifelong” aspect of Melania’s abortion support, and given the frantic backpedaling the Republican ticket is doing around this issue, we can’t be expected to take these words at face value.

In the past months, as Trump and Vance have waffled on abortion, trying to appease their anti-abortion base while toning it down for the pro-choice majority, one key fact has remained the same. Trump appointed the justices that made it possible to overturn Roe v. Wade, knowing that’s exactly what they would do. They might try to convince us that it was about returning abortion to the states, but to paraphrase one of Tim Walz’s debate arguments, someone’s geographic location shouldn’t determine their right to bodily autonomy; even writing that phrase feels absurd. And, as an aside, “states’ rights” was also an argument used to justify the Civil War and defend slavery, so take it as a red flag any time a politician pulls out that one.

Melania can say she’s supported abortion for years. She can write it in a book and speak the words on social media. Maybe she even means them — there’s no way to know. Those words won’t change the fact that her husband and his party were the ones who ended the federal right to abortion, a decision with a very real and terrifying effect on women’s health and freedom. Whatever word salad Republicans come up with next won’t fool us. And as for Melania, let’s just say it’s way too little and far too late to change your tune now.

Before you go, read about these celebrities who’ve shared their own abortion stories:

If you’ve been menstruating for the past, say, 15 years, and will continue to do so 12 times a year for an average of 38 years of your life, that’s 456 periods in a lifetime. Theoretically, that should make you a full-blown expert on your period by now. Maybe you’ve mastered the art of not leaking through your clothes since your tween years, thanks to the ability to correctly insert a tampon, position a pad or menstrual cup just right, or just throw on some period underwear. Ultimately, we know that getting a monthly period is an important part of reproductive and full-body health, but many of us are just starting to explore the day-to-day ins and outs of our menstrual cycles.

Have you ever wondered why your boobs hurt at certain times of the month, or why you’re more tired? Do you know the exact right time to take a pregnancy test? Or maybe you’re considering cycle syncing your workout routine to match the best exercises to the right time in your cycle. It’s time to take a step back and look at the big picture — the whole cycle.

Menstrual cycles usually last anywhere from 24 to 35 days, says board-certified OB-GYN Dr. Kelly Culwell, with periods lasting about five days — but again, that varies between menstruators. Your own cycle might even fluctuate in length, especially if you’re taking hormones such as hormonal birth control. (PS: It’s a good idea to track your period with a old-fashioned calendar so you know what to expect every month and can pick up on any changes. You can also try a tracking app, but make sure to check if the app shares users’ data with third parties.) But to gain more insight into what’s going on during each day of your cycle, here’s what you should know about what’s going on during your cycle.

Note that the following 28-day cycle is just an example. Your own might look a little (or a lot) different, and that’s OK! If you’re consistently experiencing intense pain or heavier-than-normal bleeding during your cycle, make sure to talk to your doctor.

Phase 1: Follicular

Your follicular phase involves your menstrual cycle and, afterwards, the preparation for your body to release an egg (aka ovulation, which occurs in the luteal phase). “In the follicular phase, the ovaries are stimulated by a hormone from the brain called FSH which causes a group of immature eggs to grow into follicles,” Culwell explains. “The one that grows the largest will be stimulated by a large surge of the hormone LH (also from the brain), which causes release of the egg from the follicle.” That triggers the luteal cycle, (which we’ll get to in a second!).

Culwell says the follicular phase can last between 14 and 22 days, so here’s what you can generally expect from each day.

Day 1: Ready, set, go! This is the first day of your period, and it kicks off your cycle and your follicular phase The hormone estrogen is at its lowest, and since research shows that estrogen is responsible for increasing serotonin (the “feel-good” chemical), you may be feeling pretty lousy today.

Day 2: Gettin’ heavy with it. The first and second days of your period are typically the heaviest flows, per the UK’s National Health Service. But even though you may be at high tide, you may be feeling a bit more relaxed as estrogen levels start climbing again.

Day 3: pH roller coaster. With all those tampons and extra blood flow, your vaginal pH has increased, which can lead to increased susceptibility to yeast infections.

Day 4: Light at the end of the tunnel. Today your period is hopefully getting a bit lighter — the end is near! The number of your scowled looks continues to decrease too as estrogen climbs higher, and we are nice to our partners again.

Day 5: Crossing the finish line. You’re just about done with your period (or getting close!). Switch to your lighter pads and tampons and start saying goodbye to your cramps and mood swings.

Day 6: One in 100,000. After your period ends, the most dominant follicle in your ovaries continues to grow in preparation to eventually release an egg.

Day 7: Carpe diem. You should be your normal self now, but possibly a bit more optimistic than usual. You can thank the increasing levels of estrogen for your newly-found motivation to ask for a raise, since studies show that the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle is associated with positive, cheerful emotions with the lift in hormones.

Day 8: Mirror, mirror on the wall. You’re the fairest of them all. Your skin is glowy and bright, you feel good, and you have the confidence to strike up a conversation with that male model at the bar (once again, thanks to that estrogen lift).

Day 9: Making space for a possible baby. The reason you’re getting this infusion of estrogen (and other hormones, like progesterone) is to help build up your uterine lining, Culwell explains. This is how your body prepares for the implantation of a fertilized egg (if that happens this cycle).

Day 10: Oh, happy day! “People typically feel best after menstruation in the late follicular phase,” Culwell says, so enjoy these next few days! Every cup is half full, and everything is coming up in roses. Your levels of optimism are through the roof.

Day 11: Let the ovulating begin. Okay, ovulation is just around the corner, and since your ovulation day can change from cycle to cycle, studies say, it wouldn’t hurt to start the baby-making process now. (That is, if you want a baby — otherwise, it’s a good idea to use birth control or another form of protection.) Ovulation kits can also help you determine when your fertile window starts and ends each cycle.

Day 12: Got that lovin’ feeling. Per Johns Hopkins Medicine, most people’s fertile window starts about five days before ovulation, so your libido has probably started picking up by now. You might also have noticed a difference in your cervical mucus, which becomes “thinner and more slippery” just before ovulation, says Culwell. This helps sperm slip through the cervix and into the uterus to fertilize the egg more easily.

Day 13: Estrogen reaches Mount Everest. Your estrogen levels peak right before ovulation and then drop suddenly right after. So take this as your last day to make lemonade from life’s lemons.

Phase 3: Luteal

Welcome to the luteal phase, which is all about ovulation. This phase “tends to be the same length for all people,” Culwell says — usually around 14 days.

Day 14: Ovulation! The dominant follicle releases the egg for its journey down the fallopian tube. The egg will live for 12 to 24 hours, while sperm can survive three to five days — so you can get pregnant if you have sex up to five days before ovulation or one day after it. If you’re trying to get pregnant, per Cleveland Clinic, it’s a good idea to have sperm in your body already when you ovulate. You might also experience cramping or other symptoms of ovulation during this busy day for your body.

Day 15: Hello, progesterone. Goodbye, estrogen. As ovulation ends, estrogen levels plummet as progesterone levels begin to take its place. You may be a bit irritable, but don’t worry — estrogen will be back soon.

Day 16: It’s getting hot in here. With increased amounts of progesterone, studies say you may notice your body temperature sits a little higher than usual.

Day 17: Don’t take that test quite yet. Anxious to see if you’re pregnant? It might be too early to tell. Hang in there, and check back in next week.

Day 18: Back for round two. Estrogen levels begin to rise again, along with the increasing amounts of progesterone.

Day 19. Easy with the girls. The hormones in your system increase blood flow to your breasts and may cause them to be fuller but extra sensitive.

Day 20: You’re cut off. If your egg hasn’t been fertilized, then your body will call it quits on producing estrogen. Enter: PMS, which can start right around now. “Some people experience mood changes, headaches and fatigue with bloating and cramping starting 7-10 days before menstruation starts,” Culwell says. Now’s a good time grab your heating pad and trusted PMS relief meds.

Day 21: Baby on board? About ten days after ovulation is when some pregnancy tests may be able to detect faint levels of the pregnancy hormone HCG. If the egg has been fertilized, your hormone levels may be able to accurately answer your pressing “am I pregnant?” question. However, you might be better off to wait until your missed period, which may give you a more accurate test result, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Day 22: You’re getting sleepy. Today your progesterone levels are at their max. Progesterone is known for causing sleepiness, studies say, which may equate to an increased tendency to doze off in the middle of that super-exciting board meeting.

Day 23: Cool! Small pores. Research has found that progesterone activates the production of sebum and swells the skin, which might cause your pores to appear smaller in size. But the swelling is actually compressing your pores, and the sebum is building up underneath — a situation that may rear its ugly head in the form of acne in a few days’ time.

Day 24: Reschedule your waxing appointment. At this sensitive time of PMS, your body is more susceptible to pain than during other times of the month. Avoid tweezing, waxing or laser hair removal.

Day 25: Let the bloating sink in. You may begin to feel more bloated, no batter what you eat. With all the hormone changes, our bodies tend to hang on to extra water in our system. One of the most ironic cures? Drink more water to flush out your system.

Day 26: Mood swings will happen. You may find that it’s hard to stabilize your mood or that you’re tearing up over puppy videos. This is okay. Feel your feelings. If you find it hard to function in your daily activities or experience debilitating mental stress, speak to your doctor about an evaluation for PMDD, a more severe form of PMS.

Day 27: All the food cravings. As PMS settles in, you will want to eat the craziest combinations of peanut butter and potato chips and chocolate. Give into your cravings, but be mindful to drink plenty of water and not to overdo it with sugar and salt, which can contribute to more bloating.

Day 28: And the cycle begins again. If a fertilized egg hasn’t implanted in your uterus (aka, if you haven’t gotten pregnant this cycle), it’s about time for your period to start up again. Around this time, your levels of progesterone and estrogen drop, “which reduces blood flow to the built up uterine lining,” Culwell says. “The lining then breaks down and sloughs off,” starting your period all over again.

A previous version of this article was originally published in 2020.

There are more period products than ever to choose from. Check out some of the coolest options for every kind of menstruator: 

Social media, Giancola told Page Six‘s Virtual Reali-Tea podcast, played a big part in that decision. “I was leaning on other platforms like Instagram and TikTok and seeing what other people were going through,” she remembered. “And by watching and learning from them, I was starting to realize, ‘Maybe I should talk about this… because maybe somebody else can relate to me or maybe I can help somebody else.'”

Giancola is honest about her fears when it comes to sharing the super-personal journey. The current contentious climate around IVF didn’t help. “Some people don’t believe in IVF, so I was nervous to tell anybody,” she said, though she said she started talking more to her cast mates about the experience “at the end,” adding, “It was nice to get the girls’ support.”

It’s not the first time Giancola has opened up about her reproductive journey. In 2023, the reality star spoke on Jersey Shore about her decision to freeze her eggs on Jersey Shore, when she was just starting to date her now-fiancé, Justin May. “At 36 I thought truthfully I would be like married, with kids, living in some house somewhere, and it’s just not where I’m at right now in my life,” Giancola, now 37, said at the time. And she didn’t hide how she felt about it. “It sucks to be a woman at this age. It really is terrible.”

Giancola admitted she was “so nervous” to share her IVF journey with the world, telling the New York Post that she wanted to keep it a secret in case the treatment didn’t go well. “I would be devastated if it doesn’t work,” she explained. “I’m gonna have to then tell people that it didn’t work and … I didn’t know if I was strong enough to do that. You’re gonna see how everything plays out [on the show] but I really kept it private for a really long time.”

It’s a totally understandable position for anyone going through fertility treatments — you want to tell your loved ones so you can lean on their support, but having to possibly break the news that the treatment didn’t work is a devastating prospect. Now add on the pressure of being in the public eye and it’s no wonder Giancola had reservations. “It’s so personal,” she said in the podcast interview. “I feel like I’m still nervous to watch it and I’m still nervous to see what people say. It’s a very vulnerable stage in my life.”

So many other people can relate — and that why we’re so grateful for Giancola’s honesty and vulnerability. The first steps of her IVF journey are already making the rounds on YouTube, where the comment section is full of supportive viewers and people going through similar struggles. “Fertility struggles are so difficult,” wrote one person. “You truly have no idea what it is like until you’re going through it yourself.”

Breaking down the stigma around fertility — which means speaking out about our experiences like Giancola, even when it’s hard — can help more people understand while supporting others through their own struggles.

For Giancola, who notes she’s “still on this journey” of IVF, that support has been key. “It’s a difficult journey,” she said. “But it’s nice to hear other people’s stories and… just having the support there is really really nice.”

Before you go, read about these celebs who are opening up about their health to address stigma:

According to Endometriosis.org, 1 in 10 women have endometriosis, and 176 million people worldwide are affected by the disruptive condition. It is a serious but deeply neglected public health issue. In fact, according to a National Institute of Child Health and Human Development-led study published in 2011, 11 percent of a group of women who had not been diagnosed with endometriosis actually had the disorder. If the finding applies to all women in the United States, the number of American women with endometriosis could exceed previous estimates of five million. Some studies even show that their experiences are often labeled incorrectly as a mental health issue or another physical issue, leading to patients experiencing medical gaslighting and exhausting and painful searches for doctors who will actually listen to them.

Celebrities aren’t excluded from this condition or even the pervasive issues in accessing adequate care. But, recently, as more and more people become aware of the condition’s existence and different treatment options out there, several famous faces have started speaking out about their struggles. Like with so many invisible illnesses, more advocates standing up and sharing their stories can only lead to a world where more patients are heard and supported.

A version of this story was published June 2017.

Instead, the Only Murders in the Building star consistently speaks out about her experience with bipolar disorder and lupus, an autoimmune disease causing inflammation that can affect many different organs, according to Mayo Clinic. In the process, Gomez has tackled the stigma around mental and chronic health conditions head-on. Now, she’s coming forward about another health issue she’s had to confront and make peace with: her inability to have biological kids.

In a new interview with Vanity Fair, Gomez explained that she “unfortunately can’t carry my own children.” While the former Disney star didn’t explain the exact reasons behind it, she said it’s tied to her conditions. “I have a lot of medical issues that would put my life and the baby’s in jeopardy,” Gomez said, adding that the realization was “something I had to grieve for a while.”

Per the profile, Gomez has previously spoken about being open to adopting kids and reaffirmed those feelings. “I find it a blessing that there are wonderful people willing to do surrogacy or adoption, which are both huge possibilities for me,” she said. “I’m excited for what that journey will look like.”

Still, Gomez acknowledged, the journey will “look a little different,” and that’s something she’s had to come to terms with. “It’s not necessarily the way I envisioned it. I thought it would happen the way it happens for everyone.”

Gomez’s health journey has been a harrowing one, so it can’t have been easy to accept this news. She was diagnosed with lupus in 2013 and first shared it publicly in a Billboard cover story two years later. “I’ve been through chemotherapy,” Gomez shared at the time, explaining that her health issues required her to check into rehab. “That’s what my break was really about. I could’ve had a stroke.”

Then, in 2017, Gomez shared that she’d gotten a kidney transplant from friend and fellow actor Francia Raisa, revealing the news in a vulnerable Instagram post. “There aren’t words to describe how I can possibly thank my beautiful friend,” Gomez wrote alongside photos of Gomez’s surgery scar and the two lying in hospital beds. “I am incredibly blessed.” According to a 2024 Time interview, Gomez’s transplanted kidney is working well and her lupus is currently in remission.

And, when it comes to not being able to carry children, Gomez says she’s “in a much better place with that” today. “At the end of the day, I don’t care [how I have children],” she said. “It’ll be mine. It’ll be my baby.”

Before you go, read about more stars who have opened up about their autoimmune conditions:

Since giving birth to her son in April 2022, the multi-hyphenate has been transparent about the details of her traumatic first pregnancy experience, one that many expecting mothers find all too familiar. After being gaslighted and dismissed by medical professionals — who ignored her symptoms of what would later be diagnosed as Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD), a joint condition that further complicated the child birthing process — Welteroth sought lifesaving perinatal and postnatal midwifery care; the experience was transformative. 

In addition to becoming a mother and delivering a healthy baby boy under the support of her midwife, the journalist adopted a new title that has since made her journey into motherhood even richer: maternal health educator. Through her own investigation, Welteroth learned that Black women and babies are disproportionately affected by maternal and infant mortality, regardless of socioeconomic status, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. In fact, late maternal deaths occurring between six weeks and one year postpartum are between three and four times more likely among Black women, per a 2021 study published in the American Journal of Public Health. Access to proper midwifery care, though, can prevent up to 80 percent of these maternal deaths.

“This is a problem that impacts us all and that will require all of us to fix it.”

This statistic ignited a fire in Welteroth and inspired her to take action on behalf of pregnant mothers who are not receiving the maternal care they deserve. “For me, that gave me a lot of hope and it inspired me to create this call to action that’s very solution-oriented and that I knew folks who cared would rally around,” she says. In December 2023, Welteroth set a birthday fundraiser goal to provide midwifery support for an expecting mother in Los Angeles who otherwise wouldn’t have received maternal care. The fundraiser was a success and quickly evolved into BirthFUND, Welteroth’s ongoing initiative to provide midwifery care and resources to expecting parents to decrease maternal mortality rates in the U.S., particularly for women of color.

“With every decision that you make [under midwifery support], you are at the center of it,” she says. “It’s patient-centered care and you’re educated by your team of midwives and community birth workers. There’s a sense of agency and empowerment that comes with that.”

Through the fund, Welteroth and her team — including celebrity funders like Chrissy Teigen, John Legend, Serena Williams, Alexis Ohanian, Karlie Kloss, and Ayesha Curry — have sourced and vetted experienced birth workers and put them in touch with expectant mothers. The foundation has also been able to provide need-based grants for holistic perinatal care and midwifery birth support, services Welteroth wishes she’d had access to sooner during her first pregnancy. “It’s been really fulfilling to put some of my pain points to work in a purposeful way, to drive change that I really believe in,” the BirthFUND founder says.

In a country where nearly 50 percent of birthing parents describe their childbirth experience as traumatic, Welteroth knows the work to decrease maternal mortality rates in the US is only beginning. She’s confident, however, that raising awareness of this fixable maternal health crisis is the first step to reimagining the future of childbirth and maternal care. “[Birth] is truly transformative and can be so joyful. It doesn’t have to be scary, especially in the richest country in the world. I think we just need to drive more attention, awareness, and resources into solutions like midwifery care . . . I really believe if we can move the needle, even on this one solution, we can start to really solve this crisis in our lifetime, and that energizes me.” That includes supporting fathers who lose their partners and are left to raise their children on their own, as well as other family members closely affected by the maternal mortality crisis.

“One change I’d like to see to the [maternal mortality] narrative is that this isn’t a Black woman’s problem to fix,” Welteroth adds. “This is a systemic problem that faces every family in this country and across the world, frankly, but particularly here in America where our maternal death rates are 10 times that of other high-income countries . . . This is a problem that impacts us all and that will require all of us to fix it.”

In addition to raising awareness of the statistics surrounding maternal health, Welteroth has made a point of using her platform to encourage expecting parents to highlight some of the most memorable and beautiful aspects of birth and motherhood. “While it’s important for us to be aware of the risks associated with birth and for us not to be ignorant of the maternal mortality crisis, it is also important for us to understand how to thrive in parenthood and for us to elevate joyful stories around parenthood and childbirth,” Welteroth says.

For the soon-to-be mom of two, one of these cherished moments includes bathtime with her baby boy. “Bathtime is like a beautiful ritual with my baby,” she says, adding that she uses the Johnson’s Head-to-Toe Baby Wash & Shampoo included in her registry. “Knowing that I’m going to have two babies means more baths and the product that I choose to bathe my babies in will become a part of their lifelong memories and mine as well. I want to create those types of memories for my babies and I want to do it at a price point that’s affordable.”

The BirthFUND founder launched the Worry-Free Baby Registry in an effort to alleviate some of the stress fellow expecting mothers experience leading up to their due dates. “The registry process is definitely one of those things that can make you feel totally isolated and overwhelmed,” Welteroth says. “I feel like I have a wealth of knowledge now and lessons learned that I can draw from to help parents — other first-time parents especially — navigate that process.”

“My pregnancy has taken on new meaning and I feel like I’m getting energy from knowing that I’ve been able to repurpose the lessons from my first pregnancy into real, positive change for other families.”

For instance, first-time parents tend to overbuy and overspend in preparation for a baby. Welteroth’s registry, however, is designed to help limit overthinking with multi-purpose products like the Doona Car Seat and Stroller, the Graco Tri-Ride 3-in-1 Car Seat, and a Nestig Wave Crib that grows with your baby or toddler as they do. “[My baby is] going on two and a half and he still loves [the Doona],” she says. “We still take that thing to the park, on multiple flights across the country and across the world and back.”

Now, with a second baby on the way, Welteroth hopes products like these will create a smoother transition into parenthood for new parents. “It’s funny because I was never that girl who wanted to talk about babies or anything mommy-related but now I love this,” she says. “I love these conversations and I’m always that girl who like, I want to stop on the street when I see moms and babies and families and I want to talk to them and swap tips . . . My pregnancy has taken on new meaning and I feel like I’m getting energy from knowing that I’ve been able to repurpose the lessons from my first pregnancy into real, positive change for other families.”

The lessons Welteroth has learned along the way have had a profound impact on her approach to motherhood, allowing her to enjoy motherhood as she’d always hoped. “I have so much more knowledge now and I understand how good it gets on the other side,” she says. “I think the first time I was pregnant I didn’t really know. I couldn’t even get to the goodness on the other side because I was so bogged down with the stress of being pregnant, not having the right support, and not knowing where to look for it.”

Now, eager to welcome her second baby into the world, Welteroth can’t help but reflect fondly on becoming a first-time mother and share her excitement to do it all again. “[Giving birth to my son] truly is the best thing that has ever happened to me,” she says. “Not to sound incredibly cliche but he changed my life. He expanded my sense of purpose in ways that are still expanding. I’m just excited to see how he steps into the big brother role and how he’ll impact this new life. And I’m also excited to meet whoever this baby is that’s powering this mission — they’re going to be a world-changer.”

Before you go, shop these must-have products for pregnancy and bed rest:

“One day I truly did wake up. I call it my ‘mountaintop moment.’ And because I am from the entertainment industry, I call it ‘the remix,’” Cunningham tells SheKnows. “I said, ‘This is not the story that I want to tell. This is not how I want to leave this earth.’ Don’t get me wrong — I don’t ever disparage my hip-hop roots or any of that. I bring that all with me; I directed Gucci Mane’s first video ‘So Icy.’ I bring that with me.”

While accompanying her aging mother to doctor’s appointments, Cunningham came face-to-face with the enduring health disparities facing the Black community. Shortly after setting the intention to pivot her directorial talents toward wellness, she got a call to partner with the Black Women’s Health Imperative (BWHI), the very first nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating for the health of Black women and girls. 

Campaign after campaign with the BWHI found Cunningham’s former and current worlds colliding: a breast cancer awareness spot with Mary J. Blige in 2020 and a cervical cancer initiative with fellow Atlanta native Ciara in 2021. Now, Cunningham and the BWHI are tackling menstrual cycles and generational trauma with the Me Period documentary. A callback to a 1987 documentary by BWHI’s founder Byllye Y. Avery, the nonprofit’s latest film features a vulnerable discussion between Black mother-daughter duos, including stars like Sheryl Lee Ralph and Tabitha Brown. Guided by “The Period Doctor,” Dr. Charis Chambers, the film tackles the various ways misinformation and disinformation can have harrowing effects on the Black community at large. 

In an emotional hour of biting openness, Me Period elicits deep healing, tackling how family dynamics, education, language, and access are all pivotal components of body politics. “We could not have scripted what happened. It was divine. It was life-changing,” Cunningham recalls. 

So far, the director’s purposeful pivot is like one of those remixes that ends up going harder than the original song. “I’m here, firmly planted in the health space now,” she says. “Y’all can’t get rid of me.” 

SheKnows: As the adage goes, “life imitates art.” So tell me how your personal journey led you to this documentary. 

Lisa Cunningham: If you had told me 15 years ago that I would be having interviews about directing a health-related documentary with Black families, I would have called you nuts. I was entrenched in the entertainment industry. I am from Atlanta and I grew up doing videos with people like TLC and Kriss Kross and Xscape. And so those early days of music videos in Atlanta was my first footing into the whole film world. […] But what I have done now is, I see this lens as you get older, you get a little wiser. You want to be more invested in the outcomes. 

I also had a mother that was aging. And we started going to doctor’s appointments and I started looking around and seeing folks that didn’t have healthcare as good as my mama’s — who were going through things in that system that just is so broken. And so I just started getting into all of that and setting the intention in place that I was going to remix my life and figure out a way to use my gifts for good. That was all I had to do: set that intention. And the Universe just started working things out for me. I ended up working with a lot of nonprofits and in corporate, with things leaning into these spaces that I wanted to get into. 

That’s crazy. This is on purpose. I want to know more about the title, Me Period. 

First of all, let’s go back to Byllye Avery, the founder of Black Women’s Health Imperative. I was on their YouTube page one day, and I saw that she had done a documentary back in the eighties called On Becoming a Woman. And I mean, this grainy footage. I was like, ‘Wait a minute. I’ve never seen anything like this.’ And she got together Black mothers and daughters talking about all the things — puberty, menstruation, everything. So I went on Beyoncé’s internet and Googled to see if I could find anything else like it. There wasn’t anything.

I said, ‘We’re going to have to do 2.0.’ Little did I know Byllye, our founder, had already made a pact with our president, Linda Goler Blount, that one day they would do that very same thing: the 2.0 version of On Becoming a Woman. So I’m on a Zoom call one day with our president, and nobody could come up with a name. We wanted it to be called ‘Becoming,’ but of course, we couldn’t use that because of Michelle Obama. So she goes, what about ‘Me Period?’ And I said, ‘Oh my God, Linda, you just came up with the name.’

I’ve never seen On Becoming A Woman, and when I watched Me Period, I appreciated the format: Dr. Chambers with the mother-daughter duos. As a filmmaker, why was that format so successful? Especially in terms of the subject matter?

Well, I think in these days and times, we have to think of things from misinformation — and then nowadays, disinformation. And so it was important especially as an organization, that we are always your trusted source. So we’re going to bring The Period Doctor in to talk about periods from a trusted source. 

There were so many myths that were busted. The first audience for this film is parents and caregivers. And what that dynamic did is, you create a safe space. And I know that’s an overused phrase, but you create a safe space. And then the mothers and the daughters felt like they could share back and forth and also off of each other, if you notice.

Speaking of caring for this panel as they share such vulnerable moments, I wasn’t expecting a therapist to come into the mix. Can you talk to me about including Tammy Von Nordheim and having that therapy element as well? 

What’s interesting is that we knew we wanted a therapy element to it, because a lot of parents and caregivers are struggling on any given day with their own lives. And then just trying to process all of these different developments that are going on with their young ones. So because a lot of them are parenting through the lens of trauma, we knew that we needed a therapist on set. What we did not know is that these women would share so much and that the therapist would end up giving them respite and counseling. And we followed up with them afterward to check on their mental health as well. I think this whole conversation of physical health always has to be combined with mental health. They’re not separate; they’re inextricably linked. And so because of that, there was no way we couldn’t have a therapist in that conversation.

You also have Sheryl Lee Ralph and Tabitha Brown. They’re celebrities, but they also seemed to represent a turn of the tide in terms of Gen X saying ‘Oh wait, I might want to do something different with my child.’ Was that on purpose? And would you say that that’s an accurate marker of a shift, Gen X?

First of all, I love the universality of the human experience. So Tabitha Brown is Tabitha Brown today. Sheryl Lee Ralph is Sheryl Lee Ralph today. But when they were 12, they were just girls. And there’s this whole rite of passage and how we redefine what this time period in a young person’s life is; I think that’s Gen X meeting their own legacy to say, ‘I’m not going to parent from this lens of trauma.’ Tabitha Brown talked about the trauma due to her religious upbringing. Her friends were scared to get their cycles because if you got your cycle early, ‘you were being fast.’ So I think that yes, there is this whole notion of [Gen X saying], ‘But wait, I want to get it right.’

The documentary ends up being about so much more than periods. It ends up being about generational trauma. It ends up being about how that generational trauma informs the way Black women and girls see their bodies. I wanted to hear from you about really illustrating the throughline of how miseducation can lead to violence.

Well, I think that our families need to understand the pathway from miseducation into violence from a real historical perspective, quite frankly. Because this started many, many years ago, and there are systemic issues that are at play today. But when we can empower our young people to take back that hypersexualization, to take our power back, and to offer up a new narrative for our young people, it’s paramount. Because if you don’t operate from that [empowered] standpoint, and you’re just out here in the world, you are ripe for predators. And you could see the light bulbs going off in the young people. And so that is my hope, that understanding misinformation and the history of our people in order for us to get to the other side. 

The film kind of feels like a gift, and it feels like a gift to Black mothers in particular. If this film is indeed a gift and a Black mother opens it up, what do you hope she sees inside? 

Oh, wow. I hope that parents and caregivers see themselves. I was so meticulous in this casting process. I said, ‘No, we are going to have people from all backgrounds, okay? All backgrounds.’ And that was so important because you ended up seeing the layers. 

One important part that came out is about menstrual equity. Every day at the Black Women’s Health Imperative, we’re always working towards health equity in different buckets. And we ended up finding out how big of a deal menstrual equity is. We did surveys on it, finding that people are missing two to three days of school a month because they can’t afford period products. We are finding out that there are certain states that are trying to limit period education and health classes before sixth grade when we know through all of the reports that are coming out now, that our young people are getting their cycles as early as eight, and the norm of the average age is shifting much lower. So I think that every step of the way, I wanted a woman to see herself. I wanted that Jack and Jill woman to see herself. I wanted the old Fourth Ward lady to see herself. I wanted the woman that’s struggling with her child that identifies as they/them and doesn’t know what the heck to do about that [to see herself].

There’s just no way that this project, that this film wasn’t healing or cathartic for you. So I want to hear more about how this film healed parts of you. 

I remember directing and producing music videos, and it would be top-of-the-chart stuff, and the only thing that really came of that was that the culture was happy for a couple of weeks. The artists made a little bit more money. So that was really the outcome. That’s it. But every day now, I wake up and understand that my body of work can save lives, and can heal. So this project in particular, it was my love story to Black families. And quite frankly, I also wanted to give that gift that hadn’t been given to me. My mother was the most amazing woman. One of the things she did not do is break down all of those little nuances though. It doesn’t make her any less of the great mother that she was, but oh my goodness, I needed what I gave to the world through this film, what the Black Women’s Health Imperative gave to the world through this film. I needed it. And so that’s the healing part for me. 

And I will share this: on the last day of filming our group scenes with the mothers and daughters, I get a phone call halfway through, and it was that my mother passed away. And my mother was everything for me. The way those women and girls rallied around me with the biggest hug, the way my crew that are all my friends and everyone rallied around? I knew that this was a legacy project. And I tell everybody now: that day, that’s my new Mother’s Day. 

And that’s your mom’s name at the end of the film that you’ve dedicated it to?

That’s right.

Oh, that’s beautiful. 

Before you go, shop these innovative period products: