By Mercedes Sanchez, founder of SoyNuevaMama.com and speaker on fertility awareness, infertility, endometriosis, and motherhood after 40.
Last weekend, I joined physicians, fertility specialists, and advocates at the #YoCuidoMiFertilidad Fertility Conference in Santo Domingo to discuss fertility awareness, endometriosis, infertility, pregnancy loss, reproductive health, and motherhood after 40.
The invitation marked my first international speaking engagement focused on these topics. While I expected to spend most of my time sharing my personal story, I found myself reflecting on a larger issue: many women are still having important conversations about fertility far later than they would like.
My own journey included years of unexplained symptoms before receiving an endometriosis diagnosis, fertility treatments, pregnancy loss, and ultimately becoming a mother at 41. While those experiences shaped what I shared on stage, they also reinforced something I have come to believe strongly: women deserve access to information long before they think they might need it.
Information, Not Certainty
One of the messages I shared during the panel was, “Los números son datos, no sentencias.” The numbers tell part of the story, not the whole story.
Fertility statistics matter. Medical information matters. But after years of infertility, pregnancy loss, and living with endometriosis, I learned that numbers alone cannot predict how an individual’s story will unfold. They provide information, not certainty.
The reality is that many women are not encouraged to learn about their reproductive health until they are actively trying to conceive. By then, they may be hearing information they wish they had known years earlier. Whether the topic is ovarian reserve, endometriosis, fertility preservation, or family planning, earlier awareness gives women more information and more options.
A More Holistic View of Fertility
I also spoke about something that shaped my own experience: the belief that holistic and medical approaches do not have to compete with one another.
I began acupuncture in 2018 to help manage the pain associated with endometriosis, years before becoming pregnant (and after failed IVF). That same practitioner later supported me through a fertility approach, pregnancy, and even a natural induction at the end of my pregnancy. Every person’s situation is different, but my experience taught me that healthcare does not always have to be viewed as either-or.
The most effective support often comes from building a team that addresses both physical and emotional well-being.
Protecting Your Peace
Another topic that resonated with the audience was the importance of protecting your peace during a fertility journey.
When I became pregnant, I made the personal decision to keep the news private until after my daughter was born. It was the right decision for me, and it reinforced something I wish more women were told: you have the right to decide who gets access to your story and when.
The conversations that followed the panel reminded me why I created SoyNuevaMama.com. Too many women are searching for reliable information, honest stories, and a space where conversations about fertility, infertility, endometriosis, pregnancy loss, and motherhood after 40 can happen without shame or stigma.
Speaking in the Dominican Republic was a meaningful reminder that these conversations are needed across communities, generations, and borders. My hope is that we continue creating more opportunities to share information, ask questions, and talk openly about reproductive health so that fewer women feel like they have to navigate these experiences alone.
About Mercedes Sanchez
Mercedes Sanchez is a fertility advocate, speaker, and founder of SoyNuevaMama.com. She speaks on fertility awareness, endometriosis, infertility, pregnancy loss, reproductive health, and motherhood after 40. Her story has been featured in Parents, HOLA!, mitú, Univision, and Diario Libre.
Interested in having Mercedes speak at your conference, event, podcast, or organization? Contact her.
