Women often chalk up menstrual cramping to a normal part of life with a uterus. And usually, they’re right. But some painful period symptoms are caused by underlying health issues. Every once in a while a patient asks me “why are my cramps so bad?” The answer varies, but what I want everyone to know […]
When it comes to contraception, the pill remains the best thing since — well, the condom. By taking birth control regularly, you can take family planning into your own hands, whether you’d like to postpone parenthood or skip it all together. One common question I hear from my patients is “when does birth control start […]
You likely have many questions about your visit to the gynecologist, including “should I shave before going to the gynecologist?” As a women’s health doctor, I understand the trepidation… you’re probably not used to stripping naked in front of a near-stranger. Even after years of visits, the experience can leave you feeling self-conscious. Not to […]
Considering the links between hormones and anxiety during a recent interview for a Bustle article brought me (almost immediately) back to my teenage days. I couldn’t help but recall the overwhelming feeling of stress that would accompany challenging emotional urges. Of course, as a teenager, my body was producing higher levels of estrogen, progesterone and […]
It’s happened to all of us. We’re in the heat of the moment, only to realize that the condom broke. Or, it dawns on us that we forgot to take birth control that morning. Whatever the reason, having a backup plan can be essential. By answering the question, “how does emergency birth control work?” you’ll […]
I’ve often heard it said that the best camera is the camera you have. What use is the fanciest of image-capturing devices if you don’t have it at the ready when that perfect moment flits by? Often, the best camera is simply your phone camera — because it’s right there in your pocket. I like […]
The glamorized image of a flat-abbed woman who can briskly jog off her menstrual cramps and waxes “it all” has become the paradigm of women’s health in popular culture. While there are certainly women who experience this narrow version of vitality, many others wonder why they don’t. As a women’s health specialist, I believe in […]
