January 30, 2025

Championing Fertility Awareness in Medical Education

FACTS Conference Speaker Highlight: Anita Showalter, DO, FACOOG

By: Molly Franzonello

Editor’s Note: We are honored to highlight Dr. Anita Showalter, one of our keynote speakers for the upcoming FACTS Annual Conference, New Horizons in Holistic Women’s Healthcare. As Chair of Specialty Medicine and Division Chief of Ob-Gyn at Duquesne University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Dr. Showalter works closely with Dr. Marguerite Duane to integrate fertility awareness education into the medical school curriculum. Her conference presentation, Having It All, but Not All at Once, will focus on the value of empowering women and men with comprehensive knowledge about their reproductive health so they may balance their family planning desires with their professional goals. Register here to join us in Pittsburgh, PA for the March 21-22, 2025 FACTS Annual Conference taking place at Duquesne University! The early bird deadline is THIS Saturday, February 1st, so don’t delay… sign up today!

Empowering the Future of Women’s Health

Dr. Anita Showalter, an Ob-Gyn physician, mother of 4 and grandmother of 12, equips the next generation of medical professionals by advocating for holistic approaches to reproductive health. A graduate of Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, she completed residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Cuyahoga Falls General Hospital in Ohio and later earned a Master of Arts in Bioethics from Trinity University in Deerfield, Illinois. With over 25 years of clinical experience and 16 years in academic medicine, she has served in multiple leadership roles, including her current position at Duquesne.

Dr. Showalter’s career has been shaped by her professional aspirations as well as her personal life. “I decided to get married and raise a family first, and then decided to go to medical school,” she explained. “I’m not going to say it was easy going to medical school with four kids. I had to have my husband’s full support because it was definitely a family affair.”

“Dr. Showalter’s career has been shaped by her professional aspirations as well as her personal life. ‘I decided to get married and raise a family first, and then decided to go to medical school.’”

Path to Fertility Awareness and Restorative Reproductive Health

Dr. Showalter began her career working as an Ob-Gyn physician in Amish Country, Ohio, where her life-affirming philosophy resonated with her patient population. Her commitment to holistic women’s health and natural fertility methods deepened while working there, as she was introduced to fertility awareness-based methods (FABMs) as an evidence-based alternative to artificial birth control.

Her journey to fertility awareness education began when she met Dr. Duane at an Ob-Gyn medical conference. She was inspired by Dr. Duane’s presentation on fertility awareness and the female cycle as a fifth vital sign. Recognizing how critical this knowledge was for all medical students, Dr. Showalter invited FACTS speakers to present to the students at Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences, where she was Associate Dean of Clinical Education.

Since 2024, they have worked closely at Duquesne University College of Osteopathic Medicine, where Dr. Showalter oversees Dr. Duane’s role as Director of the Center for Fertility Awareness Education and Research. Together, they developed a curriculum that integrates fertility awareness education throughout all four years of medical school. The program emphasizes the importance of understanding the female cycle as a foundational aspect of health and empowers students to educate patients on FABMs.

“Her journey to fertility awareness education began when she met Dr. Duane at an Ob-Gyn medical conference.”

 

Like many pioneers, Dr. Showalter has faced challenges advocating for fertility awareness education, since “the medical community often presents hormonal contraception as the only way” to manage fertility. Despite this, she has remained steadfast, highlighting the benefits of fertility awareness education to empower women to understand and manage their reproductive health without unnecessary hormonal interventions.

“Like many pioneers, Dr. Showalter has faced challenges advocating for fertility awareness education (but) has remained steadfast, highlighting the benefits … to empower women to understand and manage their reproductive health.”

Family, Career, and the Next Generation

The importance of family planning education has been a cornerstone of Dr. Showalter’s career. When medical students ask her when is the best time to start a family, she replies, “the best time is when you want to, because there isn’t a good time once you start the process.”

Dr. Showalter is passionate about empowering women and couples to make informed decisions about their reproductive health. “We have a great opportunity,” she explained, “to do more research on FABMs, women’s fertility, and tools to help women be more successful in understanding their cycles.” Through the Center for Fertility Awareness Education and Research, she advocates for expanded educational resources, mentorship programs, and collaborative research initiatives, equipping the next generation of medical professionals with holistic approaches to reproductive health.

At FACTS, we are grateful for our collaboration with Dr. Showalter to champion fertility awareness in medical education and look forward to her presentation at the FACTS Annual Conference on March 21-22, 2025. Join us!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Molly Franzonello

Molly Franzonello is the FACTS Blog Coordinator. With an MS in nursing and a Master of Health Administration, she has experience in health care management, program design, and health policy. Molly is a doctoral candidate in midwifery at Columbia University School of Nursing. As a health equity specialist at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, she participated in a special project to reduce maternal mortality. At FACTS, she creates engaging content and co-manages our online presence to promote fertility awareness.

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