Fertility, hormonal health and pregnancy preparation issues
were front and centre at the ‘What Women Want – Before We Bloom’ Forum
recently.Hosted jointly by Parenthood Media and Pantai Hospital
Kuala Lumpur at MyToday, Atria Shopping Gallery, the informative session was insightful for couples trying to conceive; opening up conversations on reproductive
health, common fertility concerns and the importance of seeking medical
guidance early.
Dr Raymond Lim, Obstetrics & Gynaecology (pic above) and Dr
Lim Sue Wen, Endocrinologist (pic below) from Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur shared their
knowledge on fertility, hormonal health, age-related considerations, underlying
medical conditions and different factors that can affect conception.
Early Start for Pregnancy Preparation
Both Dr Raymond Lim and Dr Lim Sue Wen urged couples
to begin pre-pregnancy care early instead of waiting until their attempt at
conceiving. They reasoned it's better to look into one's overall and
reproductive health earlier as this could help identify potential concerns and better
support pre-pregnancy preparation.
Among the issues highlighted by the specialists
included the impact of age on fertility and certain health conditions that may pose challenges to conception such as
polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), endometriosis, thyroid
disorders and diabetes. As such, seeking medical
advice early can help to identify possible health warning signs and enable
women to better understand their reproductive health and the appropriate steps
to take.
Fertility: A Shared Journey
Difficulty in conceiving should not be viewed solely
as a women’s issue. When conception is taking longer than expected, both
partners may need to undergo evaluation as infertility may be due to male factors.
The forum also emphasized the role of hormonal health,
body weight, nutrition, physical activity, stress and underlying medical conditions
in reproductive health and pregnancy outcome. Such open discussions on these
topics make trying to conceive conversations more informative, practical
and less intimidating.
Seeking Help Doesn’t Automatically
Mean IVF
Both panelist speakers opined that consulting a
fertility specialist doesn’t automatically mean underdoing in-vitro
fertilization (IVF).
A fertility consultation is to understand the possible
cause of a fertility concern and to explore suitable options for the individual
or couple. Depending on situation, recommendations may range from
lifestyle adjustments and medication to managing underlying medical conditions or
where appropriate, consider assisted reproductive treatments such as IVF.
Through the interactive What Women Want: Before We
Bloom Forum, Parenthood Media and Pantai Hospital KL aimed to spur more open
conversations on trying to conceive and pre-pregnancy health issues, helping
women to better understand influencing factors on fertility and viable options
available. After the forum concluded, we went for a whirlwind tour of MyToday. The spacious family and child-friendly space integrates multiple areas designated for children's activities such as reading, cooking, painting, etc.
Also included is a well-equipped playarea, a cafe and private function rooms catering to birthday parties, workshops and special events.
If you or someone you know is
facing difficulties conceiving or is considering pre-pregnancy consultation,
visit www.pantai.com.my/kuala-lumpur
to learn more about its specialist services and to seek professional medical
advice.
