PCOS Conqueror Stephanie Coker’s “Where The Heck is My Period?” Highlights Nigerian Women Living with PCOS

Nigerian-British TV host, actress and PCOS conqueror, Stephanie Coker
Aderinokun, is on a mission to raise awareness, by amplifying the voices
of brave women living with PCOS through mediums like documentary, “Where
The Heck is My Period.”

Imagine being a 12-year-old girl, feeling scared and ashamed because

you’ve missed your period for 3 consecutive months. You’ve grown copious
amounts of facial hair seemingly overnight, your voice has deepened, and
you’re having unexplainable mood swings, amongst other symptoms you
don’t understand.


Family members interrogate you mercilessly because they assume you may
be pregnant, but of course, you know this can’t be the case. So they
force you to do pregnancy tests, and they always come back negative.
Still, these symptoms never disappear, and eventually, you just learn to
cope, welcoming the discomfort as an accepted way of life.


Until one day, you seek medical intervention and suddenly your world
comes crashing down, as you’re diagnosed with PCOS.


PCOS is a hormonal disorder that can cause irregular periods, excess
body hair, type 2 diabetes and infertility. 1 in 10 women of
childbearing age across the globe are affected by this syndrome.


Nigerian-British TV host, actress and PCOS conqueror, Stephanie Coker
Aderinokun, is on a mission to raise awareness, by amplifying the voices
of brave women living with PCOS through mediums like documentary, “Where
The Heck is My Period.”


Produced by Stephanie, the documentary features interviews with
culturally diverse Nigerian women living with Polycystic ovarian
syndrome.

Directed by Michael ‘AMA Psalmist’ Akinrogunde, this feature length
documentary highlights the everyday struggles caused by the syndrome
with interviews from gynecologists, pastors, public figures, and native
African doctors.


Riveting stories shared include how a mom living with PCOS lost her
child, who only lived for 30 minutes, a painful divorce stemming from
one woman’s infertility struggles due to PCOS, and many more
heart-rending accounts. However, make no mistakes - these women are not
victims, they are warriors, and through their voices, they will help
amplify conversations about PCOS and infertility.


Speaking about why it was important for her to produce this documentary,
Stephanie says, “As someone living with PCOS since age 16 and being put
on medication such as the contraceptive pill. I wanted to shed more
light and educate people about this incurable disorder and hopefully
help young girls going through the same issues.”


“Where The Heck is My Period” will premiere during Africa International
Film Festival 2022 (AFRIFF).