Summer House's Amanda Batula On The Importance Of Talking About Women's Health - Exclusive
While it was previously considered by many to be a taboo topic, more people are starting to have frank discussions surrounding the subject of infertility. This is crucial, as, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 19% of heterosexual women in the U.S. who are between 15 and 49 years old and have not previously given birth are dealing with infertility, or the inability to conceive after trying for one year. Among the same group of women, 26% struggle with "carrying a pregnancy to term." According to Scientific American, research suggests that these numbers are only getting worse, with the global fertility rate decreasing by 1% each year.
In recent years, celebrities such as former First Lady Michelle Obama and Kim Kardashian have opened up about their struggles with fertility and having to seek medical care to become pregnant. Amanda Batula, who stars in "Summer House," is a recent example of a celebrity opening up about her concerns regarding fertility.
During the trailer for the currently airing Season 7 of "Summer House," Batula confides in her husband, Kyle Cooke, saying, "So you understand that we can't get pregnant yet, right?" and in another conversation with fellow castmate Carl Radke, she asks, "What if there's something wrong?" In Amanda Batula's exclusive interview with The List, she told us more about that revealing moment and why being vulnerable can help foster important conversations.
Amanda's moment of vulnerability opened up much-needed discussions
Amanda Batula, who recently married Kyle Cooke, talked to us about what led to that discussion. "It was unexpected. It came out when I was drinking, and it opened up a lot of doors, and it opened my eyes to a lot more too," Batula said.
While she may have not planned to speak about the topic of infertility, that moment started some informative and helpful discussions around the subject among her fans and loved ones alike. "Ever since sharing the little that I have so far, [so many] people have reached out to me, essentially diagnosing me with exactly what I have because it's so common and so many other people have experienced it," Batula said.
In Batula's opinion, much of the discussion around sexual health in school lacks the nuance that's needed in understanding the intricacies of fertility. "I joke that in health class, you were taught that if you make love, you get an STD or you have a baby, and there is no in-between. You don't realize how complicated it is and how complex it is," Batula explained. In the hopes of clearing up these misconceptions and allowing for open and honest conversations around fertility, Batula said, "The best advice I have is to talk about it. We don't speak about it enough, and you don't realize how many other women or [how many of] your friends are going through the same thing or something very, very similar."
Season 7 of "Summer House" is currently streaming on Bravo TV, with new episodes dropping every Monday.