Worldwide, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) affects 6% to 10% of women, making it the most common endocrine disorder in women of childbearing age, and the most common cause of ovulatory infertility. Symptoms may differ from woman to woman, but include irregular menstruation, excessive body hair, weight gain and type 2 diabetes, amongst others.
Nigerian media personality Stephanie Coker Aderinokun is raising awareness about an incurable condition that affects even pre-teen girls, while amplifying the voices of brave everyday women living with PCOS. Through her documentary Where the Heck is My Period, set to premiere at the 2022 edition of Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), Stephanie is shedding light on an important topic that is often only spoken about in passing or behind closed doors. As October (which happens to be PCOS Awareness Month) dances to a close, the timing for the soon-to-be-unveiled documentary seems fitting.
Directed by Michael Akinrogunde, the documentary features interviews with culturally diverse Nigerian women living with PCOS as well as gynecologists, pastors, public figures, and African traditional medicine practitioners. Each story is unique but familiar — from the women who have lost babies, and those whose marriages have crumbled under the weight of infertility, to the young women having to deal with the shame of having physical symptoms they simply cannot hide — here is a documentary that promises to be just as relatable and impactful as it is moving.
As a woman living with PCOS herself, the production of the documentary was deeply personal for Stephanie, whose NGO, The Future Is Her, is tailored to drive awareness, acceptance and assistance for African women with the illness.
Haven’t seen the trailer yet? Watch it here: