7 Reproductive Health Facts Every Woman Should Know

When it comes to reproductive health, knowledge is power, and yet so many crucial facts remain overlooked or misunderstood.

To help you increase your understanding of how your body works, I’ve gathered seven reproductive health facts that every woman should know.

Reproductive health isn’t just about fertility – it’s about understanding your body and taking charge of your well-being at every stage of life. These insights will help you make confident decisions and advocate for your health:

Fact 1: Your cervix changes position throughout your cycle.

Your cervix isn’t stationary—it shifts position depending on where you are in your cycle. During ovulation, it rises higher, softens, is wetter, and opens slightly so that sperm can pass through it. During your luteal phase, it closes again, sits lower in your vagina, is dryer, and feels harder.

Natural Cycles says that: “On average, the cervix tends to drop a week to 10 days before menstruation, but this can vary from person to person.”

Once menstruation starts, it opens again to release period blood, and remains in its lower position until your period ends. These changes in position and texture can affect how penetrative sex feels for you throughout the month. Oftentimes, certain positions will be less comfortable or even painful during your luteal phase & menstruation because of how low your cervix is sitting.

Or if you have a condition like endometriosis, then you likely experience pain in your cervix throughout the month. If you’d like to learn how I naturally treated my endometriosis so that I no longer suffer with this pain, I teach that here.

Fact 2: Removing ovaries before menopause can raise dementia risk.

Removing ovaries should only be done as a last resort, as research shows that removing one or both ovaries before menopause can increase a woman’s risk of developing dementia by up to 70%.

Medical News Today says that: “Women who had their ovaries removed before age 40 showed reduced white matter integrity, which suggests an increased risk for cognitive impairment and dementia. This emphasizes the critical role of ovarian hormone regulation in maintaining brain structure / function, particularly in preserving white matter integrity.”

Reading “The XX Brain” by Dr. Lisa Mosconi can help you understand how hormonal changes after such procedures affect brain health and what preventive steps can be taken.

Fact 3: The uterus has three distinct layers.

Many are unaware that the uterus isn’t just a hollow organ — it has three layers: the endometrium (inner lining), myometrium (muscle layer), and perimetrium (outer layer).

The endometrium thickens and sheds during the menstrual cycle, and is where an embryo implants during pregnancy.

The middle layer, the myometrium, consists of smooth muscle that contracts during menstruation and labor, aiding in childbirth.

The outer layer, the perimetrium, protects the uterus and supports its structure within the pelvic cavity.

Knowledge of these layers helps us better understand conditions like endometriosis, adenomyosis, fibroids, and heavy menstrual bleeding, as these often involve specific layers of the uterus. For instance, heavy menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia) often involves issues with the endometrium, such as an excessively thick lining or hormonal imbalances affecting its shedding.

Fact 4: Fallopian tubes are not stationary.

In most charts, fallopian tubes are often depicted as being attached to the ovaries. The fallopian tubes are not directly attached to the ovaries, though. Instead, they are connected to the uterus and extend toward the ovaries, ending in finger-like projections called fimbriae. These fimbriae hover near each ovary, but don’t physically attach to it.

When an ovary releases an egg during ovulation, the fimbriae sweep the egg into the opening of the fallopian tube. The fallopian tubes are flexible and can move slightly to better align with the ovary that is releasing the egg. This mobility allows a single fallopian tube to “catch” an egg even if it’s released from the opposite side, which is why women with only one functioning fallopian tube can still have high chances of conception.

Fact 5: Your menstrual blood can reveal important health insights.

The color, texture, flow level, and even scent of menstrual blood can provide clues about your overall health. Consistent abnormalities in color or texture could indicate hormonal imbalances or other health concerns. I have published a detailed article which explains what caused different period blood types: Period Blood Colors, Textures, & Smells: What Do They Reveal About Your Menstrual Cycle?

If you struggle with your period, you’re not alone. For years, I used to suffer with extremely long periods (up to 14 days sometimes!), which were also extremely heavy in menstrual flow and filled with blood clots. Now, my periods are much shorter (typically 5 days, sometimes 7), a healthy red, and I rarely have blood clots anymore. If you’d like to learn how to start balancing your hormones and healing your menstrual cycle like I did, my course Balance is for you!

Fact 6: PMS & PMDD symptoms are not "all in your head."

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) affects up to 75% of menstruating women and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) affects 3-8% of menstruating women (though I believe the percentage will be elevated in future as PMDD has only been truly recognized since 2013, and research on it is still incredibly lacking). Both PMS and PMDD are influenced by fluctuating hormone levels in the luteal phase of the cycle; however, PMDD is not solely caused by hormonal changes. The exact cause is complex and involves a combination of factors, such as hormone sensitivity, neurotransmitter involvement, genetic predisposition, and environmental factors.

Unfortunately, medical gaslighting is extremely common, leading to many of us being convinced that our symptoms are “all in our heads,” or that we are “crazy,” or just “sensitive.” If this is how you have been treated by your doctor as well, please read: PMDD, Endometriosis, & Medical Gaslighting

Fact 7: It Often Takes Years For Women To Get An Accurate Endometriosis Diagnosis

Just like with PMDD, women are often dismissed and gaslit into thinking that their endometriosis pain is simply a “bad period.”

Yale Medicine says that: ”On average, women in the United States will suffer from endometriosis for 10 years before receiving a proper diagnosis.”

Medical News Today says that: ”The severe pain and bleeding and other incapacitating symptoms that often accompany endometriosis mean that the life quality of those who live with this condition is impacted in serious ways. Despite this, it can take anywhere between 4 and 11 years for women to receive the correct diagnosis, and as many as six out of every 10 cases of endometriosis may remain undiagnosed.”

If you feel like your doctor is not taking your pain seriously, I highly recommend that you get a second opinion from a Holistic, Naturopathic, or Ayurvedic doctor. Without switching to holistic healing practices, I never would have been able to heal my debilitating endometriosis pain.

Understanding these reproductive health facts is the first step towards taking charge of your body and well-being. With this knowledge, you can make more informed decisions and lead a healthier life. But information alone isn’t enough—it’s how you apply it that truly matters.

Ready to take the next step?! My Balance course gives you practical tools to heal from within and restore balance to your body. Enroll now and transform your health by learning how to:

• Reduce chronic inflammation

• Begin repairing your gut microbiome

• Eliminate hormone disrupters

• Lower disproportionately high cortisol levels

• Start reducing your skin’s breakouts

• Combat painful endometriosis symptoms

• Minimize the effects of PMDD

& so much more!