MRKH and Your Daughter: Taking Care of Yourself

MRKH and Your Daughter:
Taking Care of Yourself

What is MRKH?	Talking with Siblings
Accepting your Daughter's Diagnosis	Commonly Asked Questions
Taking Care of Yourself	MRKH Guide for Teens
Helping your Daughter

Taking care of yourself is important for you and your daughter under any circumstances, and particularly when dealing with a diagnosis related to a daughter’s sexual and reproductive health. As you become more comfortable with your own reactions to her diagnosis, you will feel stronger, enabling you to support her.

Parents/guardians need time to separate what they feel from what their daughter might be feeling.

Find reliable sources of information about MRKH and the surgical and non-surgical treatment options as well as the option to delay treatment.
Keep a notebook or journal and write down questions as you think of them. Bring it with you to your daughter's medical appointments.
Talk about your worries and concerns with your daughter's medical team, spouse, significant other or a close friend. Many parents have expressed that it is much easier to be supportive to their daughter when they accept on-going support for themselves.
Learn about helpful ways to cope with stress such as deep breathing, relaxation exercises, and yoga.
Join a support group or find out about networking opportunities with other parents through your local hospital, clinic or on-line chats.
Talk with a mental health counselor or social worker if you are having difficulty coping.

Next: Helping your Daughter

Written by the CYWH Staff at Children's Hospital Boston

Updated: 6/19/2009

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