A 28-year-old woman who's had her reproductive system removed has opened up about her brave decision.
Brynne Zuri Hunt, from Portland, Oregon, US, has never had any desire to be a mother, preferring to dote on her pets instead.
Added to that, the actor has spent more than a decade struggling with an undiagnosed chronic condition which led to heavy and elongated periods, and severe cramps.
Keen to put an end to her suffering and unperturbed by the prospect of ruling out kids, she attended several medical appointments in a bid to get a hysterectomy, but no doctors would approve the procedure - until she found a female obstetrician-gynecologist (OB-GYN) in January.
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The doctor gave her the go-ahead after just two appointments and she finally had a full hysterectomy on 2 August, with her whole reproductive system removed except for her ovaries, for hormonal purposes, and she is now looking forward to a life without children and undiagnosed pain.
"I've never had the maternal instincts that other women in my family have," Brynne explained.
"I make a great auntie, and love my nieces and nephews, and shower any adoration I have on my friends' kids as well, but motherhood has just never been for me.
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"I was bought up in a very religious Mormon environment, where the stereotypical woman is there to have children and be a housewife.
"A lot of the women in my family, including my mother, had really terrible pregnancies, and I guess that was somewhat of a catalyst for me never wanting to have children."
She added: "I have two dogs, two cats and a leopard gecko who are basically my children in animal form, they take up enough of my time and money and are extremely spoiled.
"Alongside that, I've had this undiagnosed chronic pain issue since I turned 16, and to not have to deal with that ever again is what I'm looking forward to the most."
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When Brynne was finally booked in for the hysterectomy, she said it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders as it had proven to be extremely difficult to get the procedure she felt she needed to get on with her life.
"It took me so long to get to this point, and I had so many medical professionals telling me that I wouldn't know if I was ever going to want to have children," she recalled.
"I got all the usual comments like 'what if your partner wants children?', 'You haven't met the right man yet.'
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"It was incredibly infuriating and upsetting especially when there was no one to adequately diagnose what caused my extreme periods and cramping.
"Male health professionals were always extremely dismissive, especially because I had menstrual cycle issues. They put me on every different type of contraceptive from a range of pills, three different IUDS and the implant.
"It got to a point where I just stopped going to the doctors anymore, and kind of gave up on even asking for a hysterectomy."
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Like the medical professionals, many of Brynne's family and friends were initially shocked by the decision. However, they rallied around her after she explained her reasoning and Brynne has no regrets.
"When I told my family I was going ahead with a hysterectomy, they were all pretty shocked," she said.
"But since I explained my intentions, and reasons why, they’ve all been so supportive.
"My friends have also been there for me from the start, which is amazing, I've got friends who are pregnant going through their personal journeys and here I am going through mine of never having children.
"My parents had four children, and my sister already has two kids, so I feel like I'll never have that pressure to provide more grandkids.
"Having a hysterectomy is the best decision I have ever made, and I'm looking forward to a child-free life."
Jake Massey