Who should consider egg freezing or embryo banking?

Pregnancy and FertilityFertility Preservation

1 Jan

Q: Like, who actually *should* be thinking about egg freezing in their 20s—people with PCOS/endometriosis, family history of early menopause, or is it mainly for career/timeline reasons?

A: In your 20s, egg freezing is worth *seriously* considering if: (1) you have medical red flags that could mess with fertility later (endometriosis, family history of early menopause, ovarian surgery, chemo/radiation coming up); (2) your life timeline doesn’t match what your ovaries want (no partner, long grad program, intense career, instability); or (3) you’re the type who sleeps better with a backup plan.

PCOS is more nuanced: many people with PCOS actually have *more* eggs but irregular ovulation. Endometriosis is more concerning for egg quality and ovarian reserve. A strong family history of early menopause or primary ovarian insufficiency? That’s a big cue to at least get tested and talk options.

No one “has to” freeze eggs in their 20s. But some people are playing on hard mode and deserve extra backup.

If you’re staring down your timeline and your ovaries like… “are we good?”, you don’t have to figure it out alone—Chat with Gush and talk through your cycle, symptoms, and what your body’s been trying to tell you.

Who should consider egg freezing in their 20s (and when it actually makes sense)

First: what egg freezing actually is (and what it is NOT)

Egg freezing (oocyte cryopreservation) is basically taking advantage of your current egg quality and quantity, then putting some of those eggs on ice for later.

It is:

A backup option, not a guarantee of a future baby.
A way to freeze time on your eggs while your life does its thing.
Physically and financially intense, so not something to do because TikTok scared you.

It is not:

A fertility “reset button.” Age still matters when you try to get pregnant later (your body, uterus, hormones, pregnancy risks).
Something everyone needs to do to be “responsible.”
A cure for fertility issues like endometriosis or PCOS.

Think of it like insurance: some people absolutely should explore it; others are being fear-marketed into it.

Group 1: People with medical red flags where waiting could actually cost you options

You’re high on the “should at least explore it” list if any of this rings true:

1. Strong family history of early menopause or primary ovarian insufficiency (POI)

Parent, aunt, or older sister who hit menopause before 40–42.
Relatives diagnosed with POI or “early ovarian failure.”
Unexplained fertility problems in close female relatives at young ages.

Why it matters: You’re born with all the eggs you’ll ever have, and your pool (ovarian reserve) drops over time. In people prone to early menopause, that drop happens faster. Egg freezing in your 20s can catch your eggs before that cliff.

Ask for: AMH (Anti-Müllerian Hormone) test + antral follicle count (AFC) via ultrasound. Low AMH for age or very few follicles = time to talk fertility preservation.

2. Endometriosis

Painful periods that take you out (nausea, fainting, painkiller cocktails just to function).
Pain with sex, bowel movements, or peeing during your period.
Diagnosed via laparoscopy or imaging.

Endometriosis can:

Damage ovaries (especially if cysts / endometriomas form).
Lead to surgeries that remove ovarian tissue.
Inflame the pelvic environment where eggs and embryos try to survive.

If you’re under 30 with significant endo, egg freezing is very worth a consult—especially before surgeries.

3. PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome)

PCOS is complicated:

Many people with PCOS actually have lots of small follicles (so quantity isn’t the main problem).
The issue is irregular or absent ovulation and hormone imbalance (high androgens, insulin resistance).

Egg freezing with PCOS:

Can be helpful if your cycles are wildly irregular and you know you’ll want kids later.
Needs careful monitoring because PCOS ovaries can over-respond to stimulation, raising risk of OHSS (ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome).

But PCOS alone is not an automatic “freeze your eggs now or else.” Lifestyle, meds, and tailored fertility treatment later can go a long way.

4. Planned treatments that can damage fertility

Chemo or pelvic radiation.
Bone marrow transplant.
Some autoimmune meds.
Major ovarian surgery (for cysts, tumors, endometriomas).

This is the “do not wait” group. You deserve a fertility consult before treatment whenever possible.

Group 2: Your life timeline and your ovarian timeline don’t match

Biology does not care about your degree, your promotions, or your dating app burnout. That’s not fair, it’s just patriarchy and physiology tag-teaming us.

You’re in this group if:

You’re in a long training path (med school, PhD, law, etc.) and realistically not trying for kids until mid/late 30s.
You’re single or swinging between situationships and don’t want to pick a partner out of panic.
You want kids later but also want to go hard on career, travel, activism, or caring for family now.

Here, egg freezing is more about psychological freedom than an immediate medical crisis. You’re buying time and turning down the volume on the “you’re running out of eggs” propaganda.

Gush is made exactly for this messy middle—if you’re like “my story doesn’t fit the textbook groups,” bring your cycle patterns, pain, and what-if spirals and talk it through with someone who actually gets it.

Your menstrual cycle, hormones, and egg quality: what’s actually going on

Fertility isn’t random; it’s tied to your cycle and hormone choreography.

Follicular phase (roughly days 1–14 in a 28-day cycle)

Day 1 = first day of your period. Estrogen and progesterone are low; the uterine lining sheds.
Your brain (pituitary) releases FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) → wakes up a cohort of follicles (each holding an immature egg).
Estrogen rises as follicles grow, thickening the uterine lining and signaling the brain.

Ovulation

A peak in estrogen triggers an LH (luteinizing hormone) surge.
That LH surge makes one dominant follicle release its egg.
This is your most fertile window.

Luteal phase (after ovulation)

The empty follicle becomes the corpus luteum and makes progesterone.
Progesterone stabilizes the lining, your body waits to see if pregnancy happened.
If no pregnancy: estrogen and progesterone drop, lining sheds, back to day 1.

As you age:

Fewer follicles respond to FSH.
FSH levels often creep up to yell at your ovaries to work harder.
Egg quality declines (more chromosomal issues), making miscarriage and failed implantation more likely.

Egg freezing grabs eggs while the follicular-phase party is still fully booked, instead of when the club is half-empty.

Irregular cycles (longer than 35 days, no period for months, or periods suddenly going from clockwork to chaos) can be an early sign that your hormone orchestra is off—PCOS, thyroid issues, hyperprolactinemia, or declining ovarian reserve.

Birth control, irregular cycles, and when to get checked before freezing

Birth control

The pill, patch, ring, and hormonal IUDs mainly stop ovulation or thin the uterine lining.
They do not permanently lower your egg count.
They can, however, mask what your natural cycles are like.

Before egg freezing, many clinics will:

Take you off hormonal birth control temporarily to see your baseline.
Do an AMH blood test + antral follicle count via transvaginal ultrasound.

When you absolutely deserve a fertility workup in your 20s

No period for 3+ months (and you’re not pregnant, postpartum, or on a method that fully suppresses bleeding).
Cycles shorter than 21 days or longer than 35 days on the regular.
Periods that are suddenly much lighter or much heavier than your norm.
Severe cyclical pain, especially if it’s worsening.

You don’t owe anyone “I’m trying to get pregnant” to ask for ovarian reserve testing. You’re allowed to care about your future options now.

Who probably doesn’t need to sprint to a clinic

If all of this sounds like you:

Early or mid 20s.
Regular cycles (24–35 days, fairly consistent).
No known reproductive conditions, surgeries, or serious family history of early menopause.
You’re unsure about kids or know you might want them before your mid-30s.

Then egg freezing is more “optional tool” than “urgent priority.” You can:

Get baseline labs (AMH, TSH, maybe prolactin) to know where you stand.
Track your cycle for a few months: length, symptoms, PMS, ovulation signs.
Revisit the decision every year or two as your goals, health, and laws (sadly) shift.

How to decide without getting bullied by fear marketing

Questions to ask any clinic or doctor:

What’s my AMH and AFC compared to others my age?
Given my numbers, how many eggs would you aim to freeze per cycle?
What are the realistic live birth rates for someone my age, with my stats, per frozen egg?
How many cycles would I likely need to bank a decent chance at 1–2 kids?
Are you recommending this because of my data or your clinic’s sales targets?

You’re not being dramatic for wanting backup.
You’re not being irresponsible for deciding egg freezing isn’t worth the cost for you.

You’re allowed to want options. You’re allowed to opt out. That’s the whole point: your rage, your body, your call.

Q: If I’m not sure I want kids (or I’m single/actively dating), does egg freezing still make sense—or is embryo banking better if you have a partner and want more certainty?

A: If you’re single, dating, or not sure you even want kids, egg freezing usually makes more sense than embryo banking. Eggs = fully yours. Embryos = legally and emotionally shared with whoever provided sperm. Break up later and those embryos can become a legal battlefield.

Egg freezing gives you: more time, less pressure picking a partner, and no legal tie to your ex’s genetics. Embryo banking can make sense if you’re in a stable, long-term relationship, both want kids, are down to use IVF later, and you’ve talked through breakup scenarios in writing.

Both options use the same hormone stimulation process. The difference is control, consent, and future drama. If you’re ambivalent or single, protect your autonomy now and keep your options open.

If your brain is spiraling between “IDK if I want kids” and “what if I regret not freezing eggs,” you’re not broken—you’re human. Bring the confusion to Gush and talk through what your cycle, hormones, and gut are actually saying.

Egg freezing vs embryo banking when you’re single, dating, or not sure you want kids

Eggs vs embryos: what’s the actual difference?

Egg freezing (oocyte cryopreservation)

You take hormone shots to grow multiple eggs.
Eggs are retrieved from your ovaries, then frozen unfertilized.
Future you can fertilize them with donor sperm, partner sperm, or never use them.
You alone control what happens to those eggs.

Embryo banking

Same hormone process and retrieval.
Eggs are fertilized with sperm (partner or donor) in the lab.
Resulting embryos are grown for a few days, then frozen.
Legally and ethically, embryos are usually considered joint "property" of both genetic contributors.

Same process for your body. Completely different implications for your autonomy.

When egg freezing makes the most sense

You’re a prime candidate for egg freezing rather than embryo banking if:

You’re single and want freedom from “I need to find someone now to avoid missing my window.”
You’re actively dating and don’t feel like turning every first date into a fertility interview.
You’re queer, unsure about your future family shape, or thinking about co-parenting structures that may evolve.
You’re ambivalent about kids, but terrified of having the choice taken from you biologically.

Egg freezing here functions as:

A pressure valve on the “I’m running out of time” narrative.
Protection from having your future fertility tied to a person you might not even like in three years.

The vibe is: “I don’t know what I’ll want at 35, but I refuse to let patriarchy and biology corner me into panic partner-picking now.”

Gush is literally built for this vibe—the in-between, the “I don’t fit the brochure family plan,” the fertility what-ifs. If you don’t see your story in the usual clinic scripts, that’s exactly why you deserve a one-on-one space to unpack it.

When embryo banking actually might be better

Embryo banking can be powerful if:

You’re in a stable, long-term relationship and both of you actively want kids.
You’re already pretty sure you’ll use IVF (e.g., male factor infertility, genetic conditions, or same-sex couples planning pregnancy).
You’ve talked through hard stuff: breakups, death, who controls embryos if one person changes their mind.

Why embryos can be useful:

Embryo survival and development can give more concrete info than eggs alone.
Some clinics feel more confident quoting success rates with embryos.
You can do genetic testing (PGT) on embryos to screen for chromosomal issues.

But: you must protect yourself legally. That means clear consent forms specifying what happens if you break up, disagree, or one of you dies. Even then, things can get ugly in court. Ask any fertility lawyer.

Hormones, cycles, and what the process does to your body

Whether you're freezing eggs or embryos, the front end is the same:

1. Syncing with your menstrual cycle

Clinics often start stimulation at the beginning of your follicular phase (around your period), but they can also use birth control to schedule and coordinate.
Follicular phase: FSH naturally rises to recruit follicles. In treatment, you get higher-dose FSH (and sometimes LH) injections to push more follicles to grow at once.

2. What your hormones do during stimulation

Estrogen levels skyrocket compared to a normal cycle because more follicles = more estrogen.
You may feel like your late-follicular-phase self on steroids: bloated, emotional, tender boobs, easily irritated.
LH is artificially controlled with meds so you don’t ovulate before retrieval.

3. Ovulation trigger and retrieval

A “trigger shot” (hCG or GnRH agonist) mimics the LH surge.
36ish hours later, your eggs are retrieved under sedation using a needle guided through the vaginal wall into the ovaries.
No, they are not cutting your abdomen open. Yes, you’ll likely feel crampy and sore for a few days.

After that, eggs are either frozen as-is (egg freezing) or fertilized and then frozen (embryo banking).

What if my cycles are irregular or I’m on birth control?

Irregular cycles

PCOS, thyroid issues, high prolactin, or hypothalamic amenorrhea can all disrupt ovulation.
Clinics can still stimulate your ovaries even if you don’t ovulate regularly—because they’re taking over the hormone controls.
They’ll use bloodwork and ultrasounds (antral follicle count) to see how many follicles you’re working with.

Birth control

Many clinics put you on the pill temporarily to schedule your cycle and line up timing.
Hormonal contraception doesn’t permanently reduce egg count; it just pauses ovulation.
You might need to come off long-acting methods briefly so your ovaries are easier to monitor.

Irregular cycles are a cue to get checked, not a reason you “can’t” do fertility preservation.

How to decide when you’re not even sure you want kids

A few grounding questions:

If I do nothing, how likely am I to feel boxed in by biology at 35+?
If I freeze eggs and never use them, will I feel okay about the money and energy spent for peace of mind?
If I bank embryos with this person and we split, how would it feel knowing my potential future kids are locked in a freezer with my ex’s DNA?
Do I want my future reproductive options tied to this specific partner, or do I want them to belong solely to me for now?

Remember:

You can want the option of kids without wanting pregnancy yet.
You can be unsure and still decide to freeze eggs as a “no regrets” move.
You do not owe anyone a firm life plan at 23.

Red flags: when not to rush into embryo banking

Pause hard if:

You’re in a rocky relationship and hoping kids/embryos will stabilize it (they won’t).
Your partner is pushing for embryos because they’re cheaper or “more efficient,” but your gut says no.
You’re low-key hoping embryo banking will force you to stay together.

Rage check: the system was built to prioritize genetic continuity, not your emotional safety. Your job is to flip that script.

If a clinic, partner, or parent is making you feel like a ticking time bomb instead of a human being, step back. Your fertility decisions should reduce pressure, not trap you.

Q: What are the real signs you shouldn’t wait—like if you’re starting chemo, doing gender-affirming care, or just hit a certain age—and how do you decide without feeling pressured or fear-mongered?

A: Big “do not wait” flags for egg freezing or embryo banking are: (1) cancer treatments like chemo or pelvic radiation; (2) surgeries that remove ovaries or damage them; (3) starting gender-affirming hormones that can suppress fertility; (4) strong family history of early menopause/POI; and (5) clear lab/ultrasound signs that your ovarian reserve is low for your age.

Age matters, but turning 30 is not an emergency. Things generally get steeper after 35 and especially after 38–40. The goal is not to panic-freeze; it’s to know your numbers, your risks, and your values.

You fight fear-mongering by demanding data: your AMH, your antral follicle count, your clinic’s success rates for people like you, and time to think without being rushed into a payment plan.

If you’re sitting with a big decision and a loud clock in your head, you don’t have to hold that alone—drop into Gush and talk through your timeline, your labs (if you have them), and what your body’s actually telling you.

Signs you shouldn’t wait to freeze your eggs (and how to decide without panic)

The true emergencies: when waiting can seriously limit your options

There are scenarios where fertility preservation stops being a “maybe someday” and becomes “we need to talk now.”

1. Cancer treatment on the horizon

Chemo and pelvic radiation can damage the ovaries and destroy a big chunk of your egg pool.
Some regimens are more toxic to fertility than others, but you deserve that information upfront.

If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer:

Ask for an urgent referral to a fertility specialist before treatment starts.
Push your team to coordinate so you have time for at least one egg or embryo freezing cycle (usually 10–14 days).

2. Planned ovarian or pelvic surgery

Surgeries for ovarian cysts, endometriomas, or risk-reducing oophorectomy (e.g., BRCA carriers) can remove or damage ovarian tissue.
Multiple surgeries = higher risk of lowered ovarian reserve.

Before going under the knife, especially if you’re under 40 and might want kids later, you deserve a fertility-preservation conversation.

3. Gender-affirming care that affects fertility

If you’re trans, nonbinary, or gender-expansive and considering:

Testosterone (which suppresses ovulation).
GnRH agonists or puberty blockers.
Gender-affirming surgeries involving reproductive organs.

You have every right to explore egg freezing before or early in that process.

Trans and nonbinary people are regularly gaslit about fertility—either erased (“you won’t want kids”) or fear-pushed. The point is not to scare you; it’s to make sure future-you has options, not regret that no one even told you it was possible.

Gush is a place where your gender, your pronouns, and your rage at this system are all valid—and where you can unpack fertility choices without being shoved into a cis-hetero script.

Age, ovarian reserve, and what “don’t wait too long” actually means

We’re sold two lies:

“You’re fine until 40, then you fall off a cliff.”
“You’re ancient at 30; freeze everything now or else.”

Reality is more nuanced.

Egg quantity and quality over time

You’re born with 1–2 million eggs.
At puberty, you’ve got ~300,000–400,000.
You lose eggs every month, not just when you ovulate—most follicles die off.

Quality (chromosomal normalcy) declines with age:

Early 20s: highest proportion of healthy eggs.
Late 20s–early 30s: still strong, gradual decline.
35+: decline accelerates.
38–40: steeper drop in both egg number and quality.

This doesn’t mean you can’t get pregnant after 35; it means it’s statistically harder, and miscarriage risk is higher.

What your hormones and cycle are doing while this happens

Follicular phase: FSH may creep up as your brain pushes harder for the ovaries to recruit follicles.
Ovulation: Still happens, but the egg released may be more likely to have chromosomal issues with increasing age.
Luteal phase: Progesterone production can get weaker in some people, affecting implantation.
Menstruation: Periods can shorten, get lighter, or become more irregular as perimenopause approaches.

Red flags that deserve a fertility check, especially after 30:

Cycles suddenly becoming shorter than 24 days or wildly erratic.
Periods vanishing (not on hormonal birth control).
Hot flashes, night sweats, or sleep disruption showing up unexpectedly.

Lab and ultrasound signs that say “don’t sit on this for years”

The goal isn’t to obsess over every number—it's to get a rough map of where you’re at.

Key data points:

AMH (Anti-Müllerian Hormone)
- Made by small follicles in your ovaries.
- Lower levels for your age can suggest fewer recruitable eggs.
Antral Follicle Count (AFC)
- Ultrasound count of small resting follicles in both ovaries.
- Fewer follicles = lower ovarian reserve.
FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone), day 2–4 of your cycle
- High FSH can signal that your brain is yelling at your ovaries to work harder.

“Don’t wait” signs:

Very low AMH for age (for example, someone 28 with levels more typical of late 30s/40s).
Very low AFC.
Elevated FSH.

These don’t mean “you’re doomed” but they do move you from “maybe someday I’ll think about egg freezing” to “I deserve a real conversation about options now.”

Distinguishing real urgency from fear marketing

Real urgency feels like:

“Here are your numbers, here’s what they mean, here are your options, here’s the realistic timeline.”
Doctors answering your questions and encouraging second opinions.

Fear marketing feels like:

“You’re 30, you’re basically elderly, sign up for this $15k package today.”
Vague stats, no context, shame if you say you need time.

Questions to ask to cut through the BS:

How do my numbers compare to others my age?
If I do nothing for 2–3 years, what realistically changes?
How many cycles would I likely need to bank a reasonable shot at one baby? Two?
What are your clinic’s live birth rates for people my age using frozen eggs?

If they can’t or won’t answer with real data, walk.

Where your menstrual cycle fits into timing egg freezing

Your cycle phases matter both for planning and understanding your body:

Menstrual phase (bleeding): Estrogen and progesterone are low; this is often when clinics start cycle tracking and baseline labs.
Follicular phase: FSH rises to recruit follicles. During stimulation, injected FSH/LH hijack this phase to get many follicles growing at once.
Ovulation: Normally triggered by an LH surge. In treatment, they control this with a “trigger shot” so retrieval can be perfectly timed.
Luteal phase: Post-ovulation, progesterone rises. After retrieval, your body still goes through a version of this, and you may feel extra bloated, crampy, or emotional thanks to temporarily high hormone levels.

Irregular cycles, skipped periods, or big shifts in these phases are your early-warning system. Not a reason to panic—but absolutely a reason to ask for deeper testing.

How to decide without letting fear run the show

Step back and check three levels:

1. Medical reality

Do you have any of the true-urgency factors (chemo, surgery, gender-affirming treatments, strong family history, worrying labs)?
What do your tests actually show about your reserve right now?

2. Life reality

When do you realistically see yourself wanting kids (if at all)?
Are you stable enough (emotionally, financially, support-wise) to handle a cycle now?
Would freezing eggs/embryos now remove pressure—or add a new anxiety source?

3. Values reality

Would you regret more: doing it and never using the eggs, or not doing it and later wishing you had?
How important is genetic parenthood to you vs other paths (donor eggs, adoption, child-free life)?

Hope is a habit here. You’re not making the “perfect” choice; you’re making the best choice with the information and resources you have today. That’s enough.

You’re allowed to slow down, ask hard questions, and refuse to be bullied by anyone wielding your biology as a weapon.

People Often Ask

Does egg freezing hurt, and what does it actually feel like?

Most people describe egg freezing as uncomfortable, not unbearable. During stimulation, high estrogen from multiple growing follicles can make you feel like a super-charged late-follicular phase: bloated, moody, heavy in the pelvis, sore boobs. Daily injections sting but are usually quick. The retrieval itself is done under sedation or anesthesia; you shouldn’t feel pain during the procedure. Afterward, expect cramping (like a bad period), bloating, and fatigue for a few days while your hormones and ovaries calm down. If you have PCOS or respond very strongly, there’s a small risk of OHSS (ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome)—that’s when the bloating and discomfort can get more intense and requires close monitoring. Bottom line: it’s not a spa day, but for most, it’s a manageable, time-limited discomfort rather than agony.

Does being on birth control affect egg freezing success?

Hormonal birth control doesn’t permanently damage your ovarian reserve or ruin your egg freezing chances. Pills, patches, and rings mainly stop ovulation by flattening the natural FSH and LH rises, and hormonal IUDs mostly act on the uterus while sometimes suppressing ovulation. For egg freezing, clinics often take you off hormonal birth control for a short time or use it strategically to schedule your cycle before starting stimulation. They care more about your underlying ovarian reserve—AMH levels, antral follicle count, and how your follicles respond to FSH—than whether you’ve been on contraception. If a clinic uses your birth control history alone to scare you into a package, that’s a red flag. Ask for real testing, not vibes.

How many eggs should I freeze at 25 or 30?

There’s no magic number, but most fertility specialists use rough targets. Because not every egg becomes a baby, many aim for about 10–20 mature eggs per hoped-for child, depending on age. In your mid-20s, eggs tend to be higher quality, so fewer may be needed; in your early 30s, you might want more to offset the gradual quality decline. The actual count you can get per cycle depends on your AMH, antral follicle count, and how your ovaries respond to stimulation. Some people get 20+ eggs in one round; others need 2–3 rounds to reach their goal. Instead of obsessing over one-size-fits-all numbers, focus on your own data and what you’re trying to buy: a better chance at one future pregnancy, or multiple.

Is egg freezing safe if I have PCOS?

Yes, people with PCOS freeze eggs all the time, but they need careful protocols. PCOS ovaries often have many small follicles, which means you may respond strongly to FSH stimulation. That raises the risk of OHSS (ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome), where ovaries get very swollen and fluid shifts in your body. Good clinics reduce this risk by using lower starting doses, close monitoring, and specific trigger shots that are safer in PCOS (like GnRH agonist triggers). The procedure itself—retrieval under sedation—is the same. Long term, there’s no solid evidence that egg freezing harms PCOS ovaries. The bigger question is whether egg freezing is actually necessary for you, since PCOS is more about ovulation issues than egg count. You deserve a specialist who can explain your individual risks and options without scare tactics.

What’s the difference between egg freezing for fertility and for medical reasons like chemo?

Medically, the process is similar: stimulate the ovaries, retrieve eggs, freeze them (or create embryos). The difference is urgency and context. With chemo or pelvic radiation coming up, you’re racing the clock; the priority is preserving anything you can before treatment that might damage your ovaries. Protocols may be adjusted to fit tight timelines, and your team should coordinate oncology + fertility care. For elective fertility preservation—because of age, career, or not having a partner—you usually have more time to compare clinics, repeat testing, and decide when (or if) a cycle fits your life. The emotional tone is also different: medical preservation is about surviving and still having options; elective is about future-proofing your choices. Both are valid. Both deserve respect and clear, non-scare-based counseling.

If you’re reading all this and still thinking “okay but what about me specifically?” that’s your cue—slide over to Gush to ask questions, unpack patterns, or just sanity-check whether what you’re feeling is normal. You don’t have to decode your body or your options alone.

Lauren Hanson