15 Things That Can Cause an Abnormal Pap Smear
A Pap smear — a screening test performed every three years by an OB/GYN during an annual wellness exam — is the best way to check for abnormal cells in the cervix and monitor your risk of cervical cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, patients who receive regular Pap testing reduce their risk of cervical cancer by up to 80%. So you might be thinking: okay, then why else might I get an “abnormal” result? Well, the fact of the matter is, according to the National Institute of Health, 3 to 5% of Pap smears...
What Is the Best Sex Position To Get Pregnant With Twins?
When you’re trying to conceive, the very act of intercourse can sometimes feel like a slog. The joy of sex sure can get lost when you’re thinking more about ovulation predictor kits than mutual pleasure. And if you’re undergoing fertility treatments, well, adding pills, injections, and medical procedures to the mix is hardly a recipe for fun. Especially if you’re hoping to get pregnant with twins. Whether or not you’re TTC, one of the easiest ways to spice things up in the bedroom is by trying out different sex positions. This is a fantastic way to...
Do You Have a 100% Chance of Pregnancy on Ovulation Day? Here Are the Facts.
If you’re actively trying to conceive (TTC), you know that timing intercourse around ovulation is key to getting pregnant. The app tells you that your fertile window is coming up and ovulation day is near. But as ovulation day approaches, life gets in the way of your fertility plans. Maybe you worked late and aren’t feeling sexy. Maybe your partner got invited on a bro trip and suffers from perpetual FOMO. What happens if you can’t do the deed on ovulation day? The answer to this question lies in another question: Do you have a 100%...
What Does Dense Breast Tissue Feel Like?
So, you’ve just gotten your first mammogram (congrats!) — but the report mentions that you have “dense breasts.” Um, what?It’s quite normal to feel a pang of fear when you see that detail mentioned in your mammogram results. (FWIW, that’s what happened to me when I got the news that I have dense breasts). Suddenly you’re wondering, “Is there something wrong with my boobs? Does this mean I’m at a higher risk for breast cancer?”No, there’s nothing wrong with your boobs. About 50% of women have dense breast tissue — so, pretty normal, right? But, just because this is a...
IVF and FET Due Date 101: What You Need To Know
Preparing for in-vitro fertilization (IVF) can be a daunting process, even well before you step inside a doctor’s office. One of the first decisions that needs to be made is whether you’ll be undergoing a fresh embryo transfer or a frozen embryo transfer (FET). This is a choice that shouldn’t be made lightly, and certainly not without the advice of your medical provider. Your physician will help you decide which protocol is the right one for your body — and your wallet. If you’ve decided to go the frozen embryo transfer route, however, here’s a quick primer on...
Understanding a Fertility Clinic's Success Rates
If you’re trying to conceive, and you’ve made the decision to seek out a fertility clinic, where do you even start? There’s the overall patient experience to consider, as well as the clinic’s success rates. Given the rising costs of fertility treatments like in-vitro fertilization (IVF), and the toll infertility can take on your mental health, it’s imperative patients choose a clinic where they feel not only supported but confident their treatments will result in a healthy pregnancy. Sure, prospective patients can research clinics via online reviews and patient recommendations. But this type of information only...
Can You Wear Deodorant for a Mammogram?
We brush our teeth for the dentist, mentally prepare for conversations with our therapists, and tidy up (down there) before we go to the OBGYN. No one wants unpleasant-smelling armpits for the person whose job it is to give us our mammograms, right? Whether or not you’ve experienced a mammogram, you’re probably wondering how best to prepare for it. But there’s one question many women forget to ask: Can you wear deodorant for a mammogram? If this seems like a minor detail, the answer may surprise you! Understanding how mammograms work, being aware of potential concerns,...
Is the ‘Sleepy Girl Mocktail’ Another Example of Social Media Misinformation — Or an Effective Way To Help Us Get Better Sleep?
If you’ve been scrolling TikTok, chances are you’ve seen at least a few creators making the viral “sleepy girl mocktail." The recipe goes a little something like this: Creators fill up a wine glass with tart cherry juice, magnesium powder, and some sort of sparkling water. The viral drink earned its name because some creators claim it can help you get a great night’s sleep. Creators and commenters alike seem to have great success with implementing this concoction to help them sleep — but is there any truth to this, or is the sleepy girl mocktail...
Yeast Infection Before Period: How To Treat and Prevent
Yeast infections. They’re so common, yet they’re such a (literal) pain. While most healthy vaginas have yeast, an infection can occur when too much of a particular type of yeast — known as Candida — grows in the vaginal area. About 75% of all women are likely to have at least one yeast infection in their lifetime, with up to 45% experiencing two or more. Yeast infections are also the second-most common type of vaginal infections (after bacterial vaginal infections). Symptoms can include vaginal itching or soreness, pain during sexual intercourse, pain or discomfort while urinating, and thick, white vaginal...
No, IVF Doesn’t Cause Breast Cancer. Let’s Get to the Bottom of This Internet Myth.
On a recent episode of her podcast, Let’s Be Clear With Shannen Doherty, the actress spoke about her experience undergoing IVF. Doherty, who has breast cancer, admitted that she once believed her IVF experience may have caused her cancer. “I believed that the reason why I got cancer was because I did IVF,” she said. “We needed IVF and I did a bunch of rounds of it.” Doherty added that other women she knew also were diagnosed with breast cancer after undergoing IVF. “Through a lot of other women that I knew that did IVF that...