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It’s hard to know where to go when your most intimate questions crop up. We often receive emails asking for advice on a wide range of topics, and we wanted to make a safe place to post some of your most personal struggles. We’ve reached out to trusted experts in the field of women’s health, and asked them to provide professional answers to equip us to make informed decisions. Better information helps us to put our worries to rest, and get back into the flow with our bodies. Period.
Join the conversation today at PeriodTalk, or contact us directly. If we are able to match your question with an expert answer, it might be profiled in an upcoming addition of Ask The Expert! (Your privacy is important to us – participation will be optional and anonymous.)
Ask The Expert #1: Cloth Pads & Conception
“I’ve been struggling with infertility for several years now and have just stumbled onto using cloth pads. I’ve tried almost everything, except for IVF, to cure my ‘unexplained infertility’. My periods have always been six to seven days long with lots of cramps and clotting. I have extreme breast pain after ovulation. Doctors have no response for any of my conditions except that it’s a regular part of menstruation. Any advice you can provide me with would be greatly appreciated.” – Anonymous
We brought this question to the Hormone Diva of health, Robyn Srigley, holistic nutritionist and expert on the endocrine system. Here’s what she had to say:
“Disposable pads and tampons could interfere with fertility in that they contain tons of toxins (like bleaches, dioxin, pesticides, and more) that could be endocrine disruptors. To add to that, the vagina is an area with high fatty tissue, and very readily absorbs these toxins.
That being said, unless you are wearing a pad 24/7 this most likely would not be the main cause for infertility, but rather a potential aggravating factor. Cloth pads could help in the sense of reducing toxin exposure which is extremely important but pads are also meant to absorb liquid and if you are around ovulation, you want the healthy fertile cervical mucus available in and around your vagina, not absorbed into a pad. This is why I believe menstrual cups are best- they’re non toxic and non absorbent.
In regards to clotting, cramping, and breast pain, this definitely sounds like hormones are out of balance, and there may be some possible nutrient deficiencies as well. The unfortunate thing about medical doctors is that they don’t treat what they don’t know or recognize. This would be a good place to add in a natural health practitioner to make sure you’re getting the whole picture.” – Robyn Srigley, BA, PTS, CNP, NNCP
Dubbed The Hormone Diva, Robyn Srigley, BA, PTS, CNP, NNCP provides the possibility of replacing anxiety with joy, producing a positive impact in the lives of women, and next generation to come. As a holistic nutritionist, Robyn coaches women with a variety of struggles including PMS, menopause, PCOS, and endometriosis. You can connect with her on her website The Hormone Diva, or on Facebook or Twitter.
Don’t forget, we’re always here for you. Got a question? Come check out the PeriodTalk forum where ladies just like you are connecting to find the answers they are so desperately seeking. Or reach us via email and submit a question for us to feature next!