The Jean Hailes Women’s Health Week is Australia’s largest event dedicated to the health and well-being of all women. The theme for this year’s Women’s Health Week is ‘Grow Your Knowledge’ which their website states is about supporting women to make informed decisions about their health with information that is easy to understand.
Making informed decisions is particularly important and relevant for women who are considering or undergoing assisted reproductive treatment. Prior to starting treatment, there is so much to absorb including medical information and recommendations, emotional considerations, and adjustments to life/work/finances to consider. Through treatment, there can be multiple points of decision making and this means that having access to adequate and accurate information is all the more important.
There are many different approaches to gathering and processing information.
For some women, it is important to scope widely and consider as much as possible in order to feel comfortable and informed. This can assist in a feeling of being in charge and prepared which can be of psychological benefit when commencing treatment. For others, there may be a tendency to stay more immediate and focused and to funnel information into smaller chunks and for this style, this is a positive way to adapt to starting treatment. Of course, there are many combinations of both these styles. Knowing your own preference for gathering and processing information can be a very useful starting point and assist you in engaging with health information in the best possible way for your needs.
Whatever your style or personal preference for approaching the transition to ART, the idea of ‘Grow Your Knowledge’ is useful to keep in mind.
- What do you need more information about?
- Who can best help you with resources and answers to your questions?
- Do you prefer to have information verbally or in writing?
When receiving significant health information, sometimes having another person/partner with you is helpful as you can later check with each other about your understanding of the information. So, doing some ‘digging’ about yourself and your preferred style is a proactive and useful way of ensuring that you receive the information and knowledge that you need.
At No.1 Fertility, all departments invite patients to let us know what they need and how to make this transition to treatment as smooth as possible. In the counselling space, we can assist in helping you absorb and make sense of the emotional implications of information that may impact on you. You are most welcome to access us.
Finally, a Happy Women’s Health Week to you all!
More information on Jean Hailes Women’s Health Week can be found at: Women’s Health Week | Jean Hailes