- Title: Born without a womb, Malaysian artist sparks conversation on sexual health
- Date: 4th March 2021
- Summary: WANI SEEN ON MOBILE PHONE SCREEN WANI'S BOOKS AND ALBUM ON DISPLAY WANI SEATED FOR INTERVIEW (SOUNDBITE) (English) PERFORMER AND ACTIVIST WANI ARDY, SAYING: "I was diagnosed with MRKH (Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome) at the age of 17, 18 years old. That was after I had my SPM (Malaysian high school certification). But at that moment, the doctor didn't mention it as MRKH syndrome - they just told me that they couldn't find a uterus in me and my upper vagina was also not developed, not as well-developed, as it's supposed to be." INTERVIEW IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) PERFORMER AND ACTIVIST WANI ARDY, SAYING: "That was very confusing for me. There was not much information and all I found out, all I discovered at that moment was just the fact that I was born without a uterus. So for me it was like, what, what does that even mean, you know? And I couldn't find anyone who could relate to that. There's nobody in my circle - not my friends, not my relatives who had this problem, who had this issue. So it was very puzzling for me. I felt very isolated. As a teenager, I felt very isolated because at that moment, I knew I was different."
- Embargoed: 18th March 2021 09:33
- Keywords: MRKH Malaysia Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome activist women's day
- Location: SHAH ALAM, MALAYSIA / UNIDENTIFIED FILMING LOCATION
- City: SHAH ALAM, MALAYSIA / UNIDENTIFIED FILMING LOCATION
- Country: Malaysia
- Topics: Asia / Pacific,Human-Led Feature,Human-Led Stories
- Reuters ID: LVA002E2O1EMF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: When she was 17, Malaysian writer and performer Wani Ardy consulted doctor after doctor when she failed to begin menstruating.
They all told her the same thing: she did not have a uterus.
Twenty years later, Wani remembers how the diagnosis baffled doctors and left her unable to relate to her peers.
"As a teenager, I felt very isolated because at that moment, I knew I was different," she said.
It wasn't until her 20s that Wani finally learned that her rare condition had a name - Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome (MRKH) - when internal sex organs such as the womb or the vagina are either absent or underdeveloped at birth.
MRKH affects about one in 5,000 women and its causes are unknown.
Wani, who is Muslim, said cultural barriers and taboos surrounding sexual health in Malaysia often leave women with MRKH feeling ashamed or unwilling to seek support or treatment.
For years, she kept her condition a secret even as she embarked on a career as a singer, poet, author and scriptwriter.
But after joining a U.S.-based online support group for MRKH women, Wani felt compelled to reach others closer to home.
"I thought if I could feel this way with a person who was basically across the globe, just imagine how I would feel if I could find an MRKH person in my own country, who would be more relatable... in terms of upbringing, background and culture," she said.
As International Women's Day approaches, Wani said she hoped she could help women - and society - reshape motherhood.
In 2014, Wani went public with her condition and soon after, she founded a Malaysian support group that has grown to over 200 members, including from neighbouring Indonesia and Singapore.
She has also acted in and consulted on "Rahimah Tanpa Rahim" ("Rahimah Without A Womb"), a television series whose lead character has MRKH, which aired in January.
Doctors have credited Wani's advocacy with increasing awareness of MRKH and other sexual health matters.
"Because of her, I think there's a lot more people, a lot of more girls are more brave to come up and talk and get diagnosed," said gynaecologist Dr. Harizah Hatim.
(Production: Ebrahim Harris) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None