When you’re in the throes of a fertility journey, it can be easy to forget that around half of all infertility cases are due to the male, not female, partner. You may be the one undergoing ovarian stimulation, trigger shots, egg retrievals, embryo transfers – and ultimately carrying a pregnancy – for reasons that could have nothing to do with your body. One of the reasons why you and your male partner might have difficulty conceiving is a condition called low testosterone (also known as male hypogonadism or low T), where the testicles don’t produce enough...

Between the onset of The Eras Tour and the Barbie movie’s release, 2023 was unoffciailly dubbed the year of women. For many, it sparked a new appreciation for the economic and cultural impact of women and girls. The good news? In 2024, we saw another wave of pop cultural moments that honor and celebrate women — that pushed the boundaries of the roles we’ve been told we are allowed to occupy.  Women have always been economic powerhouses, shaping trends and driving business. While we have historically been told that “women’s entertainment” — which we’ve branded with...

Endometriosis is more than a narrowly defined menstrual disorder. It exists outside of someone’s period and has a range of symptoms beyond only pelvic pain. Anyone living with it will tell you that, more often than not, it’s defined by a host of seemingly unrelated symptoms that are actually really, really related.  One symptom that often comes up in someone’s “Is this connected to endometriosis?” search is excessive hair loss.  In conversation with Dr. Ryniec, who focuses on reproductive endocrinology and infertility, she explained that the best thing you can do if you’re struggling with hair...

Depending on what side of TikTok you’re on, you may see videos of women talking about “gardening” and the many benefits it has on their lives. “Gardening” for those of us who need a TikTok translator (aka most of us) is shorthand for consuming weed in some form, whether by smoking or having an edible.  In the last few years, many states have legalized and commercialized cannabis, while societally, it’s become way more normal to talk about it openly, too. In 2024 alone, you were just as likely to see it on the election ballot (like...

Pregnancy is a remarkable journey filled with excitement, curiosity, and, let’s be honest, its fair share of worries. Growing a tiny human is no small task, so it’s only natural to have concerns along the way. One topic that often raises alarm is preeclampsia, a potentially serious pregnancy complication. Marked by dangerously high blood pressure, left untreated preeclampsia can pose significant risks to both mother and baby. Amid all of the advice and internet searches, one question seems to surface repeatedly: Can stress trigger preeclampsia? Let’s unpack this topic together, bust some myths, and provide you...

The thing about infertility is that unless you’ve experienced it, you can’t possibly imagine how devastating it truly is. It’s so heavy, many people may even experience depression while on their infertility journeys. According to material from the Anxiety & Depression Association of America, we psychological toll of infertiltiy is very real, and it's important that we regocnize that. Anxiety and depressive symptoms are common among people who experience infertility — and if you feel like your sadness is impeding your ability to function, you’re definitely not alone. The holidays with infertility can be especially challenging...

People love to say that the holiday season is the “most wonderful time of the year”. And sure, it can be — but the reality we don’t often discuss is that for many people, this time of year can feel extremely heavy.  Of course, the holidays can bring their own set of challenges, from the financial strain many of us experience, to the complications that can arise from spending time with extended family, or perhaps not having family to be around at all.  Holidays aside, December is, in and of itself, challenging: It’s cold, it gets...

Waxing can feel like a quick and easy way to get smooth, hair-free skin, but if you have sensitive skin, it can also feel like a bit of a gamble. Whether you’ve tried waxing before or are just thinking about giving it a go, you probably have questions about how to do it safely without irritating or damaging your skin. The truth is, it’s possible to wax even if your skin is sensitive — but there are some things you need to know first. Sensitive skin reacts differently to various beauty treatments, and waxing is no...

Have you ever heard of the gut-brain connection? It’s actually pretty cool. There’s something in your digestive system called the enteric nervous system (ENS) — two thin layers of more than 100 million nerve cells lining your gastrointestinal tract (aka the stomach and intestines) from the esophagus to the rectum. If you’re experiencing something like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), research has shown that the irritation in the gastrointestinal system may send signals via the ENS to the central nervous system. This can ultimately trigger mood changes like anxiety and depression. For those unfamiliar, IBS is a...

PCOS is a common condition that is not well understood, which isn’t terribly surprising. The frustrating reality of many women’s health conditions is that there’s not enough information available to the public…and an absolute abundance of false claims. As we know by now, when women don’t have the answers they need about their own bodies, they’re vulnerable to the trap of medical misinformation. And in the case of PCOS, that misinformation is all over the internet. Our goal, as always, is to cut through the noise and give women the accurate information they need to advocate...