Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. Paying attention to our mental health is crucial as it determines how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. For women, the same attention should be placed on reproductive mental health.
She Wears The Boots, a podcast dedicated to the women in the VA as well as the people who care for them, recently interviewed Dr. Laura Miller, Medical Director of Reproductive Mental Health Services at the VA who commented on how the mental health of women are affected during reproductive phases in her life such as menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause.
“These reproductive cycle events matter a lot to women, but early in my career in psychology, the effects were not well understood and not considered when planning treatment for women. I try to help fill this gap, so women get the care and treatment they deserve,” Dr. Miller explained.
Reproductive mental health is not just about pregnancy.
It includes all the ways a woman’s reproductive health can affect her emotions and well-being. Some examples are menstruation, infertility, menopause, breast cancer, and pelvic pain, each of which can affect mental health.
Even though this podcast is for women veterans, the health topics covered pertain to every woman.
October 2021 Issue
