How Fertility Education Empowers Preteens and Teens | Grace Emily Stark & Jackie Aguilar

Ladies, how many of your friends struggle with hormone-related issues—thyroid problems, infertility, estrogen imbalance, acne, mood swings, migraines, painful periods, or menopause? If girls learn the natural cycles and purpose of their hormones early, they are less likely to rely on quick fixes and more likely to feel empowered and confident in their bodies.

Today I interviewed Jackie Aguilar and Grace Stark from Natural Womanhood for a wide-ranging conversation about teaching teens about their bodies and fertility. We covered what was missing from our own fertility education and practical ways moms can help their daughters understand and embrace their womanhood.

• What was missing from typical fertility education and how we can improve what we teach our daughters.
• Why “the talk” shouldn’t be a single awkward moment, and how ongoing conversations are a better approach.
• How body literacy helps girls understand and predict their cycles—even anticipating a first period.
• Positive messages girls need to counter the negative cultural messages about their bodies.
• How the contraceptive pill came to be and why it’s frequently prescribed for reasons other than birth control.
• How to explain the purpose of the menstrual cycle while strengthening the mother–daughter relationship.

I loved the personal stories Jackie and Grace shared; every mom will likely have at least one lightbulb moment. Learn more about the Mothers of Pre-Teens educational program from Natural Womanhood for structured help teaching daughters about puberty and fertility.

Teaching Teens About Fertility

• 1:03 — I talk with Jackie Aguilar and Grace Stark about teaching teenage girls about their bodies and fertility.
• 2:57 — Grace explains how she became involved with women’s fertility education and began working with Natural Womanhood.
• 6:52 — Jackie describes her journey and how taking the pill after marriage led her to learn more about how fertility actually works.
• 9:27 — “The talk” should not be a single event. Offer age-appropriate answers to younger children’s questions and avoid shame. Body literacy is an ongoing conversation.

Body literacy should be like learning about any other topic. It’s an ongoing conversation. — Jackie Aguilar

• 11:00 — Viewing education as a continuous dialogue reduces pressure on parents. Grace shared how her daughter was introduced to periods at a very young age in a calm, matter-of-fact way.

What Messages Are Our Daughters Receiving About Womanhood?

• 14:15 — Culture often sends negative messages about women’s bodies and cycles. Birth control advertising and media portray periods as nuisances instead of a healthy, natural process.
• 16:58 — Many mothers lack strong body literacy themselves, which makes teaching daughters harder. Jackie explained cycle-related energy shifts—times for social activity and times for rest or reflection.
• 20:08 — Some young women try to force a constant level of productivity despite normal hormonal fluctuations. It’s okay to lean into different phases of the cycle—productivity in some phases, rest in others.
• 22:12 — When girls don’t recognize normal cycle signs (like cervical mucus), they can become anxious or ashamed. Several generations are out of touch with their bodies, which hinders embracing femininity.

Is the Pill Really Pro-Women?

• 24:43 — A common myth is that women must minimize their natural cycles to be successful. The pill doesn’t regulate a cycle so much as suppress it, removing the natural ebb and flow.
• 25:22 — Female athletes often face pressure to match male teammates’ daily energy levels, and coaches may not account for cycle-related performance changes.
• 26:10 — Much medical research historically focused on men, who have less daily hormonal fluctuation. As a result, adverse effects in women are sometimes discovered only after drugs are widely used.
• 27:17 — If mothers don’t offer clear, truthful guidance, cultural narratives can shape daughters’ views of their bodies in harmful ways.

• 28:04 — Grace traces the pill’s early history and notes that side effects were often downplayed. We’ve come to accept symptoms like fatigue, low libido, and brain fog as normal without enough scrutiny.

We see the fallout of a lack of education in our culture when it comes to what it means to be a woman. — Grace Stark

• 30:47 — All formulations of the pill work primarily by preventing ovulation. They may also thicken cervical mucus and thin the uterine lining. These synthetic hormones do not act like natural estrogen and progesterone in the body.

Negative Effects of Shutting Off Our Cycles

• 32:16 — Teens who aren’t sexually active are often prescribed birth control for acne, painful or irregular periods. While it can be an easy bandaid, it can delay diagnosis of underlying conditions like endometriosis or PCOS.
• 34:36 — Natu ral monthly estrogen surges support bone health, brain function, collagen production, and more. Suppressing the cycle, especially during adolescence, can prevent these benefits during critical developmental years.

• 36:40 — Heavy or painful periods are signals that should prompt investigation into root causes rather than immediately masking symptoms with hormones. Your body is communicating; listen and seek answers.

Your cycle is part of your mental and physical development and if you’re shutting it down with the Pill, there are things that are not happening in your body that should be. — Grace Stark

Teaching Girls About Their Fertility

• 38:17 — When should you start teaching girls about fertility? Start early. Even if your daughter hasn’t begun puberty by age 8, some peers may be. Be the trusted source of accurate information so she understands that her body is healthy and that periods are natural and necessary.

• 39:57 — The onset of puberty—when curves form and hips widen—is a common trigger for eating disorders. Clear, positive education about what is happening to their bodies can reduce shame and unhealthy attempts to control changes.
• 41:22 — Natural Womanhood offers a Mothers of (Pre) Teens course to help moms teach daughters about puberty, fertility, and body literacy. Jackie outlines what the course covers and how it supports moms.

• 45:50 — Feedback from course participants often highlights how mothers’ mindsets shift. Learning alongside daughters helps moms reclaim their own appreciation for womanhood and model healthy attitudes.

We need to be the change we want our daughters to see. — Grace Stark

• 47:33 — Jackie shared how her 12-year-old used body knowledge to predict when her first period would arrive—an empowering moment that prevented fear and confusion.
• 50:53 — Practical next steps: practice listening to your children, answer their questions calmly and honestly, and build a relationship where they feel comfortable asking difficult questions.

Resources Mentioned

• Natural Womanhood’s resources and courses for mothers and daughters.
• Articles on cycle syncing, PMS, and balancing hormones referenced in the conversation.
• Interviews and posts that explore the Pill’s effects and alternatives, and the role of natural fertility awareness.