"Stories We Tell: The Fertility Secret" - An MSNBC Documentary

This Sunday, December 19 "Stories We Tell: The Fertility Secret" will air on MSNBC at 10 PM. Five women share the challenges and joys of their fertility experiences. The program also features insight and perspective from an infertility specialist. You can learn more about each of these ladies here. The documentary will cover a range of topics, such as endometriosis, in-vitro fertilization, and fibroids, among others.

I was able to watch this documentary earlier this week, and I cried y’all. Hard. For a couple reasons. To begin with, one of my best friends, Adaeze Ojeh-Teme, shares her fertility story. To see her talk about what she has gone through and survived brought up every imaginable emotion. These feelings wrestled within me as I sat next to her during the screening. I went from laughing (because that Ada is a funny one) to crying on her shoulder. I felt a bit selfish to be honest, because this was completely not about me, or my emotions, but my sister let me hold her hand and feel what I felt anyway. I thought of Ada and other friends of mine who have their own fertility narratives. Many I have held the honor of walking alongside them in these sometimes difficult, sometimes extremely happy moments. The therapeutic element of this film is that each of these women featured in the documentary carry the experiences of the women in our own lives, if not ourselves.

“Stories We Tell: The Fertility Secret” amplifies the voices of 5 black women. This is the second reason I cried when I saw it and feel so strongly about this film. Not only their voices, but their health experiences are being amplified as well. You will hear about the visits with the callous doctors’ who barely answered their patients’ questions. Then you will learn about the joys of empowering themselves and making decisions with their best interests in mind. In a world where sadly, racism is a harsh, sinful reality and white privilege consistently tends to erase or in-authentically tell the stories of Black women, executive producers Sheinelle Jones and Andre Gaines have given them the microphone. On a national network. During prime time. Jones recently told People TV that she “wanted to hold their stories with care”. The care, along with thoughtfulness and love is clear in this project. I appreciate the heart and passion of both Jones and Gaines as they gave these women a platform in efforts to make the conversation around fertility a public one.

Similarly, I am deeply grateful to my friend Sage* for taking the time to talk to me about her experience with fibroids. The subject of fibroids has recently become personal for me. Fibroids are muscular tumors that grow in the wall of the uterus (womb). Not enough research has been done to discover the actual cause of fibroids but according to Healthline.com, you may be at higher risk for fibroids if you:

• are between the ages of 30 and 50

• are overweight or obese

• have a family history of fibroids

• began menstruation before the age of 10

• use certain kinds of birth control

• have a poor diet

• consume alcohol

• are African-American, as fibroids are two to three times more common in African-American women

I want to take a moment and speak to the last risk factor mentioned above. I want to discuss the why. In speaking recently with Sage, we talked about the reason being African-American is a risk factor. In the same sad manner that Covid-19 has effected more people of color in this country, conditions have put African-Americans in this vulnerable space. Stress plays a huge damaging role in our health, so in thinking about all that continues to oppress African-Americans due to systemic racism and white supremacy, it is clear to see how realities such as mass incarceration, red lining and injustices at the hand of law enforcement have had a hand in being the why.

A few months ago I found out that I had three small fibroids. I immediately thought of Sage, who had been diagnosed with them and encouraged me with her story. As my doctor’s office gave me the news, I felt empowered with the information Sage had given me about a year prior. She had been able to shrink many of hers with changes to her eating habits. I will share her counsel, but I encourage every one of our readers to do research on fibroids and women’s health in general to pick a treatment plan that individually works for you.

Here are things that you can eliminate from your life and diet to help shrink your fibroids:

• Sage stopped using hair relaxers and chemicals in her hair.

• She also worked to reduce stress. Stress can cause fibroids to grow, so she leaned into yoga and meditation in an effort to keep her whole body at ease.

• She suggested a keto diet or at least a diet to avoid estrogen-producing food to balance hormone levels. Eating more vegetables, foods that are not injected with hormones and olive oil became part of her regular routine. Sage also recommended wild fish (not farm-raised) like salmon, which is low in mercury.

• Sage began to avoid soy, chocolate, dairy, caffeinated drinks, and alcohol, as well as gluten.

• Fried foods, foods that make the digestive system work harder, or foods that trigger estrogen are wise items to stay away from as again the goal is to keep estrogen levels balanced.

• In doing my own research, as I have struggled with reducing my coffee and alcohol intake, I found this article in which Margaret Wertheim, MS, RD, LDN states:

“With fibroids, you want to support the health of the liver by getting rid of alcohol and caffeine so it may optimally metabolize circulating estrogen”.

It is my genuine hope that women feel seen and empowered to care for themselves in watching this documentary. These five ladies took the time, in the midst of a global pandemic, to share their fertility stories to a national audience of women and men. Join me tomorrow, as I will indeed be tuning into “Stories We Tell: The Fertility Secret” on MSNBC tomorrow evening at 10 p.m. EST.

*Name has been changed.

Kendolyn Walker is a creative based in Harlem who serves as producer and founder of The City Love Collective: City Love on the Radio, City Love NYC and the City Love Picnic.