At 17 I was told I wouldn’t ever have a period because I was born without a uterus.

Puberty had started normally, because I still have ovaries and female 46XX chromosomes but nothing prepared me for not ever having a period and not going through something considered so “normal” and a “rite of passage”.

Why?

Because our education system talks about periods but it doesn’t talk about what happens when they don’t start and importantly what happens if they will never start.

I remember sex education at school talking about periods and that some will start earlier than others, even mentioning that if you haven’t started by 16 then go to speak to your GP.

Never at all preparing you that there are cases that you might not. Ever.

MRKH syndrome is one of the reasons for Primary Amenorrhea but it is not the only one.

The curriculum is now making period awareness compulsory for all students which is great, but falls short in being inclusive for all scenarios and this just leads to a lack of awareness and understanding and a significant feeling of isolation for those faced with something that they are never taught is a possibility.

The excuse that this doesn’t happen to enough people to warrant inclusion has been used before but how common does it have to be before it does?

1 in 5000 female births have MRKH and 1 in 2500 have Turners Syndrome, which are the main reasons for Primary Amenorrhea, which cumulatively accounts for approximately 21,000 individuals in the UK.

That’s not a small number. Isn’t it important that everyone is represented, every body considered?

One thing I have learned more, and more and in part that is because of MRKH , is how every body is different. Something else we never really get taught about.

Differences in our bodies are how we end up with different ears and noses etc. so why wouldn’t we also have different shaped uteruses (if we have one), variable cervical height etc.? It’s something I never considered until much more recently but its so true.

If we don’t talk about these differences the shame remains silent and the isolation more real for those faced with MRKH and other similar conditions that make us feel different to our peers.

Woman does not always = periods, but because we don’t talk about it the understanding of this doesn’t change. I know I wish I had been more prepared for the “what if I don’t get a period” question.

I am 42 and I have never had a period and I never will. Does that make me any less of a woman?

I’d like to think you are all currently shouting “No” at your screens and if you aren’t then maybe you need to read this piece again.

Charlie Xx