📝Writer EggU Counselor Saki
Hello! I am planning to study public health at a graduate school in the UK and conduct research on issues related to pregnancy and childbirth. Until now, I have worked as a midwife in hospitals and health centers. In this article, I would like to talk about my journey so far and my thoughts as an EggU counselor.
Encountering preconception care while feeling uneasy about society
I first encountered the term " preconception care " when I was studying in graduate school to become a midwife.
Now, as an EggU counselor, I'm in a position where I can help women plan their lives and careers, but back then, I had never even seriously considered my own life plan. Although I had a vague hope that "I'd like to have children someday," I thought that I could pursue what I wanted to do, including my career, until my early 30s, and then think about pregnancy and childbirth once that had settled down. This was around the time that infertility treatments began to be covered by insurance, and I thought that if the time came, I could take advantage of medical technology.
However, the reality I was confronted with in my midwifery classes was harsh. Fertility treatment does not guarantee pregnancy, and even if you are able to conceive through fertility treatment, the miscarriage rate increases with age, making it difficult to continue the pregnancy, and there are also increased medical risks during childbirth. Learning that egg freezing and fertility treatment are not "dream technologies," I began to rethink my life plan and felt a strong sense of anger, wondering why no one had told me such an important fact until now.
We're told we're living in an age where women can enter the workforce just like men, but in reality, due to differences in the way men and women's bodies work, women have no choice but to be conscious of the biological time limits of pregnancy and childbirth as they advance in their careers . In Japan, where sex education is less widespread than in Western countries, knowledge about pregnancy and childbirth is still something that you have to research . "If we're going to promote women's participation in society, surely there need to be more opportunities for both men and women to acquire accurate knowledge about pregnancy and childbirth and think about their life plans?" I had always felt a sense of unease about society. It was then that I came across the term "preconception care," and I began to believe that this was the kind of pregnancy and childbirth support that is needed in today's society, and that midwives could contribute more to its spread.
After experiencing the hospital, I decided to study abroad
After obtaining my midwifery license, I worked in the obstetrics ward of a university hospital, where I met many women who had become pregnant after undergoing infertility treatment. Furthermore, while attending many births, I became keenly aware of the risks of giving birth at an advanced age. I had known this in theory, but my experience in the field brought it to my own experience, and I once again became keenly aware of the importance of preconception care, which involves thinking about pregnancy and childbirth from an early stage in life .
I wanted to tackle this issue from a research perspective, and decided to go to graduate school in the UK, where public health research is thriving, in order to acquire a comprehensive perspective that includes not only healthcare but also education and human rights. Since I was in high school, I had always dreamed of studying abroad for a long period of time, and this desire also supported my decision.
However, the problem was the timing of my study abroad. Considering not only the length of time I would study abroad, but also the preparations I would make beforehand and my career afterwards, I needed to plan for a period of three to five years. While I had reservations and concerns about leaving clinical practice so early, I took my age into consideration and set a goal to go abroad as soon as possible to develop an eye and sense for a bird's-eye view of Japan. However, preparing to study abroad while working proved more difficult than I had imagined, and I ultimately postponed my study abroad by a year from my original plan. Through this process, I also keenly realized that "not everything in life goes as planned."
My encounter with EggU and what I want to cherish as a counselor
I learned about EggU at the exact moment I decided to postpone my study abroad. After speaking with Shiga-san, the company's CEO, I was strongly drawn to their vision of supporting women who don't want to give up on their careers or their lives , and I decided to become involved as an EggU counselor. If I hadn't postponed my study abroad, I might never have come across EggU. Thinking about it now, I feel that this event was meaningful.
Preparing to study abroad has made me realize that life is not always straightforward. I believe that pregnancy and childbirth, like life itself, are highly uncertain . Everyone has different circumstances, including not only personal values but also issues with partners and careers. However, even amidst so many uncertainties, I believe that learning about the current state of your body through EggU can be an opportunity to take control of your own life . I would be happy to help you with this through counseling. Why not join us in thinking about your next steps?
📝Writer EggU Counselor Saki's profile is here
She has experience supporting pregnancy and childbirth as a midwife and public health nurse, and is currently studying public health in the UK. Her realizations at graduate school and in the medical field have led her to go from "I didn't know" to "I want to share that information." She is an EggU counselor with the desire to support each and every woman in living her own life.