Speakers: Dr. Kristina Arion and Zeba Khan

Period pain, also known as dysmenorrhea, is one of the most common menstrual symptoms experienced by youth. 50 to 90% of women experience dysmenorrhea, characterized by a cramping and recurrent pain in the lower abdomen during menstruation. Endometriosis can also cause severe period pain, which occurs in 10% of women. These pains can significantly impact quality of life, relationships, mood and more. There are many different ways to manage period pains, but lack of knowledge, societal normalization of period pain and systematic barriers result in delayed treatment. Let's talk about period pain so that we can improve youth's experience of periods and quality of life.

Zeba Khan is the founder and director of the Free Periods Canada Foundation. She is also a first-year PhD student at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and a Killam doctoral scholar. Her research focuses on barriers and facilitators of seeking care for moderate to severe dysmenorrhea among Canadian youth. In the last six years, Zeba has received over 22 scholarships and awards recognizing her work in academia as well as in the community as a menstrual equity advocate.

Dr. Kristina Arion is an Obstetrician Gynecologist trained at Dalhousie University, and a Pediatric & Adolescent Gynecologist trained at the University of Calgary. She is currently researching pelvic pain in adolescents, advocating for fertility preservation in youth at risk of ovarian failure, and streamlining the care of patients with anorectal malformations in Alberta, which are often associated with Mullerian anomalies.