Reproductive health encompasses the well-being of the reproductive system, including sexual health, fertility, pregnancy, childbirth, and the ability to make informed reproductive choices with access to appropriate care.
Tips & Links
Living with a health condition or disability can affect your reproductive health. Discover strategies to navigate and possibly overcome these challenges.
Learn ABout Sexuality and Gender
- Take time to explore and understand your feelings, desires, and preferences regarding your sexuality.
- Know that how you decide to express or share this information is up to you.
- Learn about sexual orientation and gender identity from the Government of Canada.
- Understand how ‘sexual orientation and gender identity’ (SOGI) are considered in education and health care in BC by Sogieducation.org.
Impact on Reproductive Health
- Ask for a referral to a specialist for sexual and reproductive issues related to your health condition for specific and current information and recommendations.
- Ask how your health conditions, medications, or treatments might affect your future fertility.
- Explore questions about ovulation, sperm production, egg implantation, and pregnancy.
- Explore fertility preservation options like egg freezing and sperm banking before starting treatment.
- Revisit your prognosis and possible progression of your condition and how it may impact your overall health and ability to raise a child.
- Learn if your health condition is hereditary, can you pass it on to your offspring, and if genetic counselling is recommended. Know you can ask for a referral for genetic counselling.
- Explore ways to cope with your grief, if you are unable to have children, in the resource kit. Consider support groups, counselling and/or connecting with others who have experienced similar loss.
Healthy Relationships
- Be aware that your health changes may impact your partner’s lifestyle as well. Try to explore their feelings.
- Discuss feelings, choices, and concerns in a non-judgmental environment.
- Consider that your health condition may impose difficult decisions about your treatment options and reproductive choices.
For More Information
- Learn about the impact of medications, radiation, and surgery on sexual and reproductive functions for both male and female sex organs from the Canadian Cancer Society.
- Learn about assisted means of reproduction from the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC).
- Learn about fertility preservation such as egg freezing and sperm banking from the Canadian Cancer Society.
- Explore the ‘Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy’ by the Government of Canada.
- Explore information about medications while breastfeeding from the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC).
- Explore gender equity & 2SLGBTQIA resources from the Government of Canada.
- Visit Trans Care BC that provides guidelines for safe and accurate trans health care from the Provincial Health Services Authority.
- For a comprehensive list of sexual health services in BC visit Pathways from the Doctors of BC.
Take notes on all your findings, update your Health Profile with your reproductive health information, and keep your research in your Mywell Health digital or print files.