Originally published March 28, 2023

In this honest and moving episode, author Ruby Warrington joins Fempower Health to discuss her new book, Women Without Kids. We cover all topics from childless couples who don’t want children to women who can’t have children even though it’s their deepest desire.

Ruby shares her experiences writing such an important book, societal pressures for women to have kids, patriarchal assumptions, childlessness vs child-free, and fertility and sterility issues influencing adults today.

Listen for an insightful, relatable conversation and be sure to check out Ruby’s newest book, Women Without Kids, available in Spring 2023.

Discussed in this episode:

• Thoughts on Ruby’s new book and why she wrote it
• What does motherhood mean today?
• The impact our relationships with our mothers have on views on motherhood
• Why do women decide to not have kids?
• Rethinking the assumption that women should automatically want children
• External pressures women face about marriage, motherhood, and childrearing
• Infertility and its impact on women with no kids
• Pronatalism and society’s historical conditioning

Related to this episode:

• Ruby’s website: www.rubywarrington.com
• Get the Book: Women Without Kids
• Follow Ruby on Instagram: @rubywarrington
• Recommended Book: Birth Strike
• Recommended Book: Countdown

• Resources and episodes on Breaking Taboos

If you're passionate about advancing women's health, there are many ways you can support the Fempower Health Podcast. Here's how:

1. Subscribe and Listen: Tune in to new episodes every Tuesday by subscribing to the Fempower Health Podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform. Your regular listenership is invaluable!
2. Leave a Review: Help us grow by leaving a review on Apple, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform. Your feedback not only supports us but also helps others discover our podcast.
3. Share with Others: Spread the word by sharing episodes with friends, family, or anyone interested in women's health. Every share helps!
4. Engage with Our Community: Follow us on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates and engaging content. If you are interested in chronic pelvic pain or perimenopause & menopause, specifically, we've created specific social accounts: Peri/Menopause Instagram,

Originally published January 25, 2021

Whether you know you have a thyroid condition or have symptoms you can't seem to find the right answers to resolve them, this episode is for you.

Denise Roguz is the co-founder, owner, and operator of ThyroidChange. It is a collaborative network, health information website, and social media campaign. It unites an international community of medical professionals and patients under the same innovative vision: patients need personalized thyroid care for optimal wellness.

Her passion stemming from her own 17 years journey to get diagnosed and treated for her condition shines through in this episode which promises to open your eyes, educate you, and empower you on your journey.

In this episode we cover:

• Why thyroid conditions are hard to diagnose
• What tests your doctor should order - it's more than TSH
• Types of thyroid conditions
• What to expect once you are diagnosed

Resources

• Talk to your doctor printable PDF

• Recommended Books on Chronic and Autoimmune Diseases

• Resources and episodes on Thyroid Disease

If you're passionate about advancing women's health, there are many ways you can support the Fempower Health Podcast. Here's how:

1. Subscribe and Listen: Tune in to new episodes every Tuesday by subscribing to the Fempower Health Podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform. Your regular listenership is invaluable!
2. Leave a Review: Help us grow by leaving a review on Apple, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform. Your feedback not only supports us but also helps others discover our podcast.
3. Share with Others: Spread the word by sharing episodes with friends, family, or anyone interested in women's health. Every share helps!
4. Engage with Our Community: Follow us on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates and engaging content. If you are interested in chronic pelvic pain or perimenopause & menopause, specifically, we've created specific social accounts: Peri/Menopause Instagram, Peri/Menopause Facebook, Peri/Menopause TikTok, Chronic Pelvic Pain Instagram, Chronic Pelvic Pain TikTok
5. Stay...

Originally Released April 5, 2022

PCOS impacts 1 in 10 women yet it is still underdiagnosed and misdiagnosed. Dr. Jerilynn Prior, of the Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research (CeMCOR), is a Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolism at the University of British Columbia, with 40 years experience in women’s health. She brings an interesting perspective to what might happen if we considered PCOS to primarily be a hormone imbalance rather than a disease.

In this episode, we cover the following:

• Difference between ovarian cysts and PCOS
• Why PCOS is not the best term to describe the condition
• What is the main cause of PCOS?
• What are the first signs of PCOS?
• What is the diagnostic criteria for PCOS?
• How having multiple criteria (e.g., Rotterdam and International) for diagnosing PCOS creates confusion leading to multiple cases of delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis
• Can PCOS tests be wrong?
• Can birth control make PCOS worse?
• Can birth control cause PCOS?
• Is PCOS genetically inherited?

Resources:

• Resources and episodes on PCOS

If you're passionate about advancing women's health, there are many ways you can support the Fempower Health Podcast. Here's how:

1. Subscribe and Listen: Tune in to new episodes every Tuesday by subscribing to the Fempower Health Podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform. Your regular listenership is invaluable!
2. Leave a Review: Help us grow by leaving a review on Apple, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform. Your feedback not only supports us but also helps others discover our podcast.
3. Share with Others: Spread the word by sharing episodes with friends, family, or anyone interested in women's health. Every share helps!
4. Engage with Our Community: Follow us on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates and engaging content. If you are interested in chronic pelvic pain or perimenopause & menopause, specifically, we've created specific social accounts: Peri/Menopause Instagram, Peri/Menopause Facebook, Peri/Menopause TikTok, Chronic Pelvic Pain Instagram, Chronic Pelvic Pain TikTok
5. Stay Informed: Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest announcements, news, and research directly in your inbox.
6. Reach Out: We love hearing from you! Reach out

Originally published March 12, 2024

Learn how your vaginal flora and gut microbiome contribute to your reproductive health. Dr. Caroline Mitchell shares her expertise and research on this important but overlooked topic.

Episode Summary

In this episode, we take an in-depth look at the delicate balance of the vaginal microbiome. Dr. Caroline Mitchell, distinguished reproductive health researcher and faculty member at the Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology at Massachusetts General Hospital, shares her profound insight on why a healthy vaginal microbiome is crucial in women's health.

With a background in Women’s Studies at Harvard College and groundbreaking research funded by prestigious organizations, Dr. Mitchell brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the discussion. She explains the complexities of understanding vaginal flora, the challenges posed by bacterial vaginosis (BV), and the intriguing connections between gut health and vaginal health.

Listen to learn about some of the most significant yet overlooked aspects of women's reproductive health. We discuss how to balance the vaginal microbiome, what to do about chronic bacterial vaginosis, use cases for a vaginal microbiome transplant, and what innovative treatments are emerging in women’s health.

Key Discussion Points

• Why a healthy vaginal microbiome is crucial for women's overall health and how imbalances can lead to conditions such as bacterial vaginosis (BV).
• The difficulties of limited funding and the complexity of research regarding the vaginal microbiome.
• Symptoms of BV, its limited treatment options, and common misdiagnoses such as vulvodynia.
• Yeast infection vs. BV vs. UTI symptoms.
• The impact of antibiotic use on the vaginal and gut microbiomes, plus the need for caution and further research.
• Vaginal microbiome transplants and the potential of lactobacillus crispatus in treating BV, plus the future of an at-home vaginal microbiome test.
• What to consider when looking for the best women's probiotics for vaginal health, and how to avoid unnecessary products and irritants.
• The importance of accurate diagnosis, treatment, and management for vaginal health.

Related to this episode:

• Resources and episodes on the Gut and Vaginal Microbiome

• Follow Dr. Caroline Mitchell on Instagram and LinkedIn. Follow her lab on Instagram.
• Learn more about Dr Mitchell’s research and consider enrolling in her clinical trials
• MOTIF (be a donor recipient)
• MOTIF (be a donor)
• VIBRANT study, looking at a live biotherapeutic
• Learn about the

Originally published October 3, 2023

Dr. Sarah E. Hill, PhD is a research psychologist and expert in the effects of birth control on women’s lives. She is the author of the book, "This is Your Brain on Birth Control" and has dedicated her research to uncovering the science behind hormonal birth control and its potential impacts.

In this episode, Dr. Sarah E. Hill discusses the importance of understanding the science of birth control and its influence on choices women make, such as pursuing education, careers, and even romantic partners. She presents recent developments and research on birth control, including the approval of over-the-counter options and the potential effects of the Roe v. Wade overturn.

Listen as Dr. Sarah E. Hill shares her expertise and insights on the conversation surrounding birth control in our modern society, and how it relates to women’s health empowerment today.

Discussed in this episode:

• The impacts of birth control on hormones and health
• How hormones affect mood, behavior, and mental health in women
• Can birth control affect attraction and partner choices?
• Why individual women respond differently to birth control pills
• The importance of women being aware of potential birth control side effects
• Exploring the question: is birth control bad?
• Sex education and birth control
• Learning to self-monitor when starting or switching birth control methods
• Access to birth control after Roe v. Wade overturned
• The need for women’s health education on their hormones and other birth control alternatives

Related to this episode:

• Get Dr. Hill’s Book: This is Your Brain on Birth Control

• Resources and episodes on Hormones & Menstrual Health

• On the Blog: What Women Want & Need to Know About Birth Control
• Free Resources: Female Reproductive Health & Hormones
• Related Books: www.bookshop.org/lists/understanding-your-body-anatomy-menstrual-cycle-hormones

If you're passionate about advancing women's health, there are many ways you can support the Fempower Health Podcast. Here's how:

1. Subscribe and Listen: Tune in to new episodes every Tuesday by subscribing to the Fempower Health Podcast on iTunes or Spotify or your favorite podcast platform. Your regular listenership is invaluable!
2. Leave a Review: Help us grow...

How are metabolism, health, and menopause linked? Listen as Dr. Lara Briden shares insights from her new book, Metabolism Repair for Women.

Episode Summary

In this episode, we hear from Dr. Lara Briden, naturopathic doctor and celebrated author of “Period Repair Manual.” Dr. Briden joins Fempower Heath to discuss metabolic health in light of her newest book, "Metabolism Repair for Women." Known for her thorough and research-based approach to women's health, Lara shares her expertise on the often misunderstood topic of metabolic health—particularly its significance during the perimenopausal and menopausal stages of a woman’s life.

Discussed in this episode:

• The connection between metabolic health, general health, mental health, and women's hormones
• Why metabolism health is not just about weight loss but about overall energy and well-being
• How hormonal changes during perimenopause and menopause can lead to insulin resistance
• How hormonal birth control can have different metabolic effects
• Ways to manage and improve metabolic health during perimenopause and menopause
• The potential metabolic benefits of a low-carb diet and its role in reducing cravings for carbohydrates

"What's happening metabolically in the brain at menopause is potentially going to have long-term consequences."​​ - Dr. Lara Briden

Related to this episode:

• Resources on Perimenopause and Menopause
• Check out Dr. Lara Briden’s books: Period Repair Manual, Hormone Repair Manual, and Metabolism Repair for Women
• Learn more about Dr. Lara Briden and follow her on Instagram

If you're passionate about advancing women's health, there are many ways you can support the Fempower Health Podcast. Here's how:

1. Subscribe and Listen: Tune in to new episodes every Tuesday by subscribing to the Fempower Health Podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform. Your regular listenership is invaluable!
2. Leave a Review: Help us grow by leaving a review on Apple, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform. Your feedback not only supports us but also helps others discover our podcast.
3. Share with Others: Spread the word by sharing episodes with friends, family, or anyone interested in women's health. Every share helps!
4. Engage with Our Community: Follow us on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates and engaging content. If you are interested in chronic pelvic pain or perimenopause & menopause, specifically, we've created specific social accounts: Peri/Menopause Instagram,

Episode was first played on November 29, 2022 - In this episode, Fempower Health interviews Dr. Peta Wright about endometriosis and pelvic pain. Dr. Wright is a gynecologist, fertility specialist, and the founder of Vera Women’s Wellness: a whole woman's approach to endometriosis healing and recovery.

Together, they discuss endometriosis surgery, treating women with endometriosis, common underlying correlations of pelvic pain, and what we can do to help women in a society that makes pain and periods two “enemies” of productivity.

Discussed in this episode:

• Dr. Wright’s observation of conventional gynecology today, especially when diagnosing endometriosis
• Can pelvic pain and endometriosis symptoms be correlated with childhood trauma?
• Laparoscopies vs other types of treatment for endometriosis
• What to address when seeing a patient with severe endometriosis pain
• Examples of surgery outcomes and when it is and isn’t appropriate for treating endo
• Is pelvic pain the enemy or is it a sign the body needs to be heard?
• How fear-based language in medicine pathologizes women’s bodies

Related to this episode:

• Learn about verawomenswellness.com.au
• Follow Dr. Peta Wright on Instagram
• Check out the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study

• Resources and episodes on Endometriosis

If you're passionate about advancing women's health, there are many ways you can support the Fempower Health Podcast. Here's how:

1. Subscribe and Listen: Tune in to new episodes every Tuesday by subscribing to the Fempower Health Podcast on iTunes or Spotify or your favorite podcast platform. Your regular listenership is invaluable!
2. Leave a Review: Help us grow by leaving a review on iTunes or Spotify. Your feedback not only supports us but also helps others discover our podcast.
3. Share with Others: Spread the word by sharing episodes with friends, family, or anyone interested in women's health. Every share helps!
4. Engage with Our Community: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for the latest updates and engaging content.
5. Stay Informed: Sign up for our weekly newsletter to receive the latest...

Learn about menopause and mental health from clinical psychologist Dr. Allie Sharma on the Fempower Health Podcast.

Episode Summary

While menopause is assumed to come with hot flashes and menstrual changes, there are also mental effects of menopause that are less commonly discussed. In this episode, Dr. Allie Sharma—a clinical psychiatrist specializing in women's mental health—discusses the impacts of perimenopause and menopause on mood and the brain. She emphasizes the need for education and integrated care models for women navigating this significant life transition and shares her thoughts on how this can be done.

Listen as we discuss the relationship between hormonal changes, depression/anxiety, and navigating the healthcare system during menopause. Dr. Sharma also offers expert insights on menopause mental health symptoms, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and advocating for your health at this phase of life.

Discussion Topics

• The differences between perimenopause and menopause
• The relationship between menopause and mental health issues
• How hormonal changes can result in mental health symptoms
• Why women are at higher risk for depression and anxiety during perimenopause
• The role of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in managing menopause symptoms
• How perimenopause can affect relationships and family dynamics
• Common sexual health issues during menopause and how they can be addressed
• Strategies to help you advocate for your health effectively
• How family members can better support women during perimenopause and menopause

Related to this episode:

• Resources and episodes on Perimenopause & Menopause and sign up for the Perimenopause and Menopause newsletter

• Resources and episodes on Mental Health

• Learn more about Dr. Allie Sharma and follow her on Instagram
• Referenced in the Episode: CNN Article on Perimenopause and Mental Health
• Reference in the Episode: Penn Ovarian Aging Study (POAS)

If you're passionate about advancing women's health, there are many ways you can support the Fempower Health Podcast. Here's how:

1. Subscribe and Listen: Tune in to new episodes every Tuesday by subscribing to the Fempower Health Podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform. Your regular listenership is invaluable!
2. Leave a Review: Help us grow by leaving a review on Apple, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform. Your feedback not only supports us but also helps others discover our podcast.
3. Share with Others: Spread the word by sharing episodes with friends,...