Originally published in Well + Good
Fertility represents a lot more than just being able to have kids. Fertility is part of how many people define themselves as women. Indeed, having one’s period is often considered to be a crucial passage into womanhood; once that starts to go away, some people might struggle with what it means to be feminine.
Similarly, many people go into perimenopause at the same time that their children are getting older and moving out, which is its own adjustment. The combination leads many to think about what their purpose is in life, which can shift as their children don’t need them as much.
Western culture doesn’t celebrate aging, which can further complicate a person’s relationship with perimenopause. Fertility is also linked to sex and libido… Our culture has this weird way of only celebrating young, nubile femininity, and it does not celebrate or empower women of all life stages.
