Beli founder Joni Hanson Davis reflects on her conversation with Annie Robertson Hockey on Skytale Insights and why reproductive health belongs in a broader health conversation.
Annie Robertson Hockey interviewed me on Skytale Insights for “Fertility Is Health: Reproductive Wellness as Part of the Whole Picture.” We connected over a simple idea: fertility is not infertility. Too often, fertility enters the conversation only when someone is trying to have a baby—or when getting pregnant is taking longer than expected. Our conversation was about what changes when reproductive health is treated as part of health itself, well before there is a problem to solve.
That distinction is personal for me. I remember asking my doctor for a fertility test because I wanted to know whether I might be able to have children someday. I learned that, in my situation, it was not as simple as taking one test and getting a clear answer. The guidance was to start trying when I was ready and return if I had not become pregnant after a year. I left thinking about how much of this journey can begin with questions people do not know where to take.
Fertility belongs in the health conversation
The reproductive years make up a significant part of life, whether or not pregnancy is someone’s immediate goal. Fertility does not switch on the day a person decides to try to conceive. It is connected to the health of the reproductive system over time—including hormones, egg quality, sperm health, and the questions people may want to ask before pregnancy is on the horizon.
Beli began with a straightforward goal: make a better prenatal. As we explored the research, nutrient forms, and dosages, we found ourselves looking earlier in the journey, at preconception health. That work broadened our view. The questions were not only about what someone might need during pregnancy, but also about how people can understand and support their reproductive health before they are trying.
Men belong in the conversation
The male side of reproductive health deserves a place in that discussion from the beginning. When we launched Beli Vitality for Men, I assumed many women would buy it for their partners. Many men bought it for themselves. That changed my assumption about who was ready to engage. Support should not begin with blame or the idea that one partner is responsible; both people deserve a place in the conversation.
One of my favorite reminders came from my daughter after a Thanksgiving pub crawl. She told me the guys had been talking about Beli and sperm health. I loved hearing that—not because one conversation changes everything, but because a topic that once felt awkward had become normal enough to come up among friends. I want more people to feel they can talk about reproductive health without embarrassment.
Imagine a fertility aisle
I keep coming back to the idea of a “fertility aisle.” When I picture the family-planning aisle, I think of birth control and emergency contraception. Where does someone go when they want to understand their reproductive health or prepare for a future pregnancy? That support can be harder to find. I want it to be more visible, approachable, and available before someone reaches a crisis point.
We also talked about testing and health data. Information may help someone ask better questions and have a more useful conversation with a clinician. But a number needs context. A test result is not a verdict on whether someone will have a baby; it is one piece of information to understand with appropriate guidance.
“Fertility is not infertility” means we do not have to wait for a struggle to care about reproductive health. We can talk about it earlier, include men, make good information easier to find, and give people room to make decisions that fit their lives. That is the conversation Annie and I started on Skytale Insights—and one I hope more of us will keep having.
