Science on the female reproductive system, aka fertility problems

I was reading this article about the female menstrual cycle being recreated in a laboratory, in order to test new treatments for diseases of the reproductive system. It was quite interesting to hear how different cells could be put in a series of cubes and the hormonal communications between them and the responses can be observed. The idea is that the individual's own cells could be used in order to determine the best course of treatment. The liver is also modeled, to include even individual drug metabolism.

At first I was quite excited to read about this. Finally, people are taking the various problems that affect these bits seriously. We could get better drugs for treating cramps. We could figure out which contraceptives are problematic for particular women without them having to endure the side effects. We could find treatment for painful diseases like PCOS, endometriosis and fibroids! I was enthusiastic, right up until the moment I read this:

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"I am entirely confident that this novel technology represents a step-change in our ability to pinpoint defects that cause infertility and early pregnancy loss. However, it is not a system that can recapitulate all the specialised functions of the reproductive tract or replace IVF."

Wait, what? How did we get to infertility, miscarriage and IVF from disease? I thought we were talking about improving quality of life from a personalized model to test drugs and treatments.

But of course, it's got to be about fertility. It's always about fertility. If there's no fertility involved, nobody gives a fuck about female reproductive organs, no matter how much pain and suffering they are causing. That's why the story is tagged as related to the topic of 'fertility'.

It's shit like this that makes me misanthropic.

Didn't you know that everything related to the female reproductive system is not to treat disease but actually to ensure that every woman is able to calve? How many women suffer from debilitating diseases of the reproductive system and no suitable cure has been found for them? Not to mention that diagnosis takes ages, if the disease is actually diagnosed because if you do not want to crap out kids doctors don't even bother to look at you anymore. Take a look at endometriosis and how ignored it is, for example.

I am a living example of this idiocy. I've been suffering for ages from debilitating menstrual pain, heavy bleeding and irregular periods accompanied by hirsutism which made my life a hell. As a teenager, i was just given the pill and that was it. But i wanted to find out what is actually wrong with me. I do not exaggerate when i say that almost all doctors i've seen were extremely worried if i can have kids. And whenever i mentioned i didn't want kids, i got two answers: oh, stupid kid, you'll change your mind / well, then why did you come here? I finally got a diagnosis after 16 years of struggling with these attitudes.

Don't get me started on women who don't receive life saving treatments because it might make them infertile.

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if you do not want to crap out kids doctors don't even bother to look at you anymore. Take a look at endometriosis and how ignored it is, for example.

It's infuriating.

I was cursed to have both PCOS and endometriosis and I suffered for years. Prior to my hysterectomy, I barely had any sick leave.

It took many years to even get the PCOS diagnosis--at first doctors thought I had an adrenal disorder and I was on adrenal suppressing meds for years. (And that's some scary shit--I wore a medical alert bracelet because a minor automobile accident could have sent me into shock.)

When I was in my 20's my PCP sent me to some endocrine guys that she'd gone to medical school with and the visit ended when I told them I was not there to get pregnant. My PCP was FURIOUS with them and she even called the office on my behalf.

Some doctors get it, but not many. I hate how Breeders have crapped up everything.