There is no denying that endometriosis is a painful and frustrating condition affecting around 2 to 10% of American women between ages 25 and 40. Characterized by severe cramps, abnormal menstrual flow, and pain during intercourse, endometriosis can also significantly impact one’s fertility.  Endometriosis occurs when tissue similar, but not identical, to the lining of the uterus is found elsewhere in the body. This can then cause inflammation, scarring, and painful cysts. If that wasn’t aggravating enough, the abnormal tissue buildup can also block the fallopian tube, therefore preventing the egg and sperm from fertilizing, making...

Sarene Leeds • Mar 4, 2024

Endometriosis flare-ups: If you know, you know about the debilitating pain it can cause for at least 7-15% of women worldwide. For some people, their endometriosis gets worse around their monthly period, but there are other more sneaky triggers of flare-ups in endometriosis pain, like certain aspects of your diet.  The best way endometriosis warrior Jacqueline Solivan, Director of Partnerships at Rescripted, can describe a flare-up is the equivalent of tightly twisting a balloon animal into a shape — but the balloons are your organs. Having excruciating internal and back pain that takes her out each...

Mara Santilli • Feb 29, 2024

Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus is found in other places in the body. This abnormal tissue growth is most often found in the pelvic area but has also been found in the bladder, bowels, diaphragm, lungs, kidneys and even the brain. This can cause severe pain, inflammation, organ dysfunction, and even infertility. Endometriosis affects 200 million people worldwide, occurring in 7-15% of women — although some experts think the actual number could be closer to 25%.  Despite its commonness and the intense, debilitating pain it can cause, endometriosis is...

Brighid Flynn • Feb 29, 2024

Going to the doctor for an annual physical is one of the many responsibilities that fall under the “adulting” umbrella. If you’re a woman — or assigned female at birth — then those responsibilities also extend to the yearly gynecological exam. Since we usually think of these exams as only pertaining to women, not girls, it might come as a surprise that your first gynecological wellness visit should take place when you’re still a teenager (around 15 or 16 years old). At this stage, the visit may just consist of a discussion with your doctor about your menstrual cycle...

Sarene Leeds • Feb 28, 2024

Since the Alabama Supreme Court released a decision on February 16, 2024, that assigns 'personhood' to frozen embryos, the ripple effects have been tangible, and — for the millions of people who need assisted reproductive technologies like IVF to build their families — it's personal.  Multiple clinics in Alabama have already paused IVF treatments, and as of writing, the state’s largest embryo shipping company has also halted business in the state. The decision’s downstream effect has been palpable, according to Dr. Jessica Ryniec, who specializes in reproductive endocrinology and infertility.  What could this mean for fertility patients?...

Vivian Nunez • Feb 26, 2024

When Kim Newcomer began experiencing severe constipation, she initially thought it was related to travel. “Thinking about my week-long vacation with my husband, I figured that travel and unusual food were to blame,” says Newcomer. It would have been easy to dismiss her symptoms or chalk it up to the disruption to her routine — but Newcomer opted to speak with her physician. “I visited my primary care doctor, who ordered an X-ray to check for an intestinal blockage. Finding none, he prescribed laxatives, but the constipation continued,” she said. “As the months passed, I developed...

Zara Hanawalt • Feb 26, 2024

Irritable Bowel Syndrome. It’s a painful, challenging, and sometimes downright embarrassing condition that can have you running to the bathroom at the worst times. Fortunately, IBS is a very manageable condition with the right care and strategies to help control your symptoms. If you suspect that you have IBS, the first step is to consult with your doctor to determine the best care plan for you. But did you know that there are also some at-home ways to relieve your discomfort? First, what is IBS? IBS is a chronic condition that affects both the stomach and...

Erin Pettis • Feb 26, 2024

My husband Sean and I met in college and were married in 2015. As soon as he proposed, I carefully laid out a plan: we would marry, two years later, we’d have our first baby, and two years after that, we’d have our second baby, completing our family by 2019. But the universe had different ideas. Sean was diagnosed with male factor infertility in 2018, meaning we had less than a 1% chance of conceiving naturally. Sean has a medical condition that affects his sperm motility; his sperm have trouble moving in the right direction, making...

Abby Mercado • Feb 26, 2024

It’s safe to say that no one really looks forward to a Pap smear…maybe you even pay special attention to your period tracker beforehand to see if you might have a heavy flow day and a good excuse to postpone. However, the Pap smear, also known as a Pap test, which tests for abnormal cells on the cervix that could lead to cervical cancer, is an indicator of your cervical health and a super important preventative health measure to take.  If you have your annual OB/GYN visit locked in already, what can you do to prepare...

Mara Santilli • Feb 25, 2024

When Victoria Raphael was diagnosed with breast cancer at 33, she was in “total shock” — which makes perfect sense. At 33, she certainly didn’t fit the profile of a typical breast cancer patient. Raphael didn’t immediately think about the need to consider fertility preservation ahead of treatment, but, as she quickly learned, that’s something many young breast cancer patients need to think about (on top of the realities of facing the disease, of course).  “The fact that my fertility might be affected [by treatments for breast cancer did not cross my mind at all,” she...

Zara Hanawalt • Feb 25, 2024