Cosmetics & Your Fertility

Here are some facts you need to know when it comes to Black women and fertility. 

Black women are 2x more likely to face fertility issues and yet we are ½ as likely to seek out medical help and receive treatment. 

When we do go seek treatment or medical advice we are often met with prejudice from physicians. This bias often manifests itself as a perceived need to shame us surrounding our sex lives and even go so far as blame the average weight of Black women.

In addition to the above, additional bias generally means the Black women are left out of the research studies surrounding fertility. - thus perpetuating our lack of treatment and diagnosis. 

When it comes to additional issues that affect our hormones and fertility, Black women often get their periods at younger ages. This can often be traced back to a higher risk for cardiovascular problems in life. Heart disease and fertility have a close relationship. 

Black women are also 3x more likely to develop uterine fibroids. Fibroids can cause infertility and pregnancy complications. 

I say all this to bring light to something George Mason U has studied and reported in a previous deep dive into cosmetics and personal care products. They found links between the chemicals in cosmetics to changes in reproductive hormones - aka, affecting fertility.

The same chemicals we have talked about, like parabens & benzophenones, are directly affecting our hormones and our fertility.

Parabens & benzophenones are responsible for an overproduction of oestrogen (which can cause fibroids) and progesterone (which is linked to breast cancer). 

Chemicals that show up on the ingredient list of our products that are known endocrine disruptors stand to cause abnormal ovarian function and miscarriage. 

All this to say our environmental health matters. We have to go beyond what we perceive as health (beyond organic and greens), we have to go beyond thinking it’s only internal. Our health and our environment includes what we are putting on our skin and the products we are surrounding ourselves with.

Health is also taking up the responsibility to educate ourselves. Especially as Black women in this country.

Our antibacterial soaps, our makeup, our hair products, etc. shouldn’t be what is keeping us from getting pregnant and having a healthy pregnancy. 

When you shift your thinking to include choosing safer products, Black women begin to protect their ovaries. We are protecting our breasts by educating ourselves and keeping an eye out for harmful chemicals. 

Black women’s health matters.

Black maternal health matters.

So - as always - read your ingredients!

Choose safer. 

Shop with the partners of Clean Beauty for Black Girls if you’re unsure where to start.