Sarene Leeds

Buford, NY

I hold an M.S. in Professional Writing from NYU, and I'm a seasoned journalist, having written and reported on subjects ranging from TV and pop culture to health, wellness, and parenting over the course of my career. My work has appeared in Rolling Stone, The Wall Street Journal, Vulture, SheKnows, and numerous other outlets. I also host the podcast “Emotional Abuse Is Real.”

Blue green background gradient

Articles

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...

December 20, 2024

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)...

December 17, 2024

If you’re familiar with endometriosis, you already know it’s no picnic. Pain and infertility are the most common signs of this condition, which affects...

December 14, 2024

There are a lot of symptoms associated with perimenopause. Irregular periods, hot flashes, night sweats, straight-up rage, decreased fertility, changes in sexual function — the...

December 6, 2024

Like many people, I have a love-hate relationship with social media. On the one hand, it can be a breeding ground for trolls and...

November 24, 2024

We’re well past calling menstruation “the curse,” but there is no denying the pain associated with our monthly period — also known as dysmenorrhea.More than half...

November 17, 2024

So, you’ve been on birth control for a while, be it oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) or an intrauterine device (IUD). Everything is going well,...

November 12, 2024

Let’s face it: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) can make you feel just plain rotten.  This condition, which is a hormone imbalance affecting 1 in...

November 10, 2024

Pregnancy loss is awful for everyone, but what about people dealing with conditions like Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)? Not only does PCOS cause a...

October 28, 2024

The thyroid is one of many essential glands we normally don’t worry about unless there’s a problem. But, considering women are more likely than...

October 21, 2024

Whether you’re trying to conceive right now, or just thinking about growing your family someday, it’s a good idea to get a grasp on...

October 21, 2024

No matter when pregnancy loss occurs, and no matter which word is used to define the experience, it is a crushing time for the...

October 14, 2024

Pregnancy loss is a traumatic time for most people, so the last thing anyone wants to hear is the word “stress” in the same...

October 7, 2024

With the rise of assisted reproductive technology (ART), egg donation is now a necessary conversation for many people looking to grow their families. There...

October 3, 2024

Have you ever fallen down the Reddit rabbit hole in a desperate attempt to seek answers about a medical condition? First of all, no...

September 19, 2024

So, you’re finally ready to start a family: You’ve checked all of the boxes that fit into your plan, whether that’s a committed relationship...

September 9, 2024

There are a lot of cool things about getting older. Our life experiences have provided us with wisdom, and we don’t sweat the small...

August 25, 2024

After all of the endless blood draws, ultrasounds, trigger shots, egg retrievals, embryo transfers, and two-week waits, you’re finally pregnant! For some women, however,...

August 25, 2024

Finding out your pregnancy is nonviable can be one of the most devastating experiences for an intended parent. Adding to this pain are the...

August 16, 2024

Sometimes, despite multiple attempts at assisted reproductive technology, the recommended next course of action for certain prospective parents is surrogacy. This is a process...

August 13, 2024

Picture it: A rare Saturday night where you and your partner have nothing on the agenda. No one needs to catch up on work,...

August 3, 2024

“Geriatric pregnancy.” “Advanced maternal age.” The terms may not be flattering, but women who have babies later in life hardly carry the stigma they...

July 22, 2024

In April 2024, the Center of Reproductive Health (CRH), a fertility clinic based in Nashville, closed its doors due to an inability to pay...

July 18, 2024

Your doctor says you will need donor eggs to conceive. We get it — it’s hardly the answer you wanted to hear during your already arduous...

July 18, 2024

Unless you’ve been diagnosed with lupus —  or are a Selena Gomez fan — you probably don’t know much about this particular condition. So let’s break...

July 8, 2024

These days, it’s pretty easy to find articles online that walk you through numerous fertility protocols, from in-vitro fertilization (IVF) to egg freezing. But...

July 2, 2024

The joy of pregnancy is never without challenges, even if you are relatively healthy. There are nonstop doctor’s appointments, dietary restrictions, fatigue, swollen ankles,...

June 30, 2024

Ah, your 30s. A wondrous time to, as Carrie Bradshaw once put it, “learn the lessons.”  There sure are a lot of those life...

June 26, 2024

Pregnancy will always be synonymous with a whirlwind of emotions – joy, fear, stress, excitement, to name a few. And sometimes, heartbreak weasels its...

June 26, 2024

Let’s get the basic facts out of the way: It is no fun getting a urinary tract infection (UTI). It is also no fun...

June 19, 2024

More and more, donor eggs are becoming a normalized part of the fertility conversation. Several celebrities have revealed they needed donor eggs to...

June 11, 2024

You know how great you feel after an orgasm? That satisfying release of sexual energy followed by deep, relaxing sleep? It’s gotta be because...

June 3, 2024

For patients undergoing “traditional” fertility treatments, the protocol for, say, in-vitro fertilization (IVF), is relatively straightforward: A routine egg retrieval cycle consists of...

April 27, 2024

“I imagined myself getting hit by a school bus and not caring, because at least that meant I could rest.” –Erin Sarris, 40,...

April 26, 2024

In honor of National Infertility Awareness Week, we’re addressing the elephant in the room head-on: Many Americans who need in-vitro fertilization (IVF) still...

April 18, 2024

If you’ve experienced any form of pregnancy loss, the first thing to do is to give yourself grace. It’s crucial during this devastating...

April 9, 2024

These days, no matter where you are in your fertility journey, trying to conceive can be stressful. Even if you’re going for it...

April 3, 2024

When researching in-vitro fertilization (IVF), there are plenty of primers available on the numerous steps involved, like ovarian stimulation, egg retrieval, and embryo...

April 1, 2024

  It’s been nearly 50 years since the first baby conceived via in-vitro fertilization was born. This scientific breakthrough revolutionized fertility treatments, giving way...

March 5, 2024

There is no denying that endometriosis is a painful and frustrating condition affecting around 2 to 10% of American women between ages 25...

March 4, 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...

February 28, 2024

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...

February 19, 2024

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...

February 18, 2024

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...

February 18, 2024

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...

February 14, 2024

  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...

February 12, 2024

  If you’re old enough to get an annual gynecological exam, then you’re probably already familiar with Pap smears. The Pap test (this term...

February 4, 2024

Anytime someone gets pregnant in the movies or on TV, the first thing they’re usually told is that they need to start taking...

January 31, 2024

CLOMID® is the brand name of the generic oral medication clomiPHENE citrate, a commonly prescribed fertility drug taken to stimulate the release of...

January 11, 2024

Thanks to “Dr. Google,” it is all too easy nowadays for people (read: non-medical professionals) to attempt their own diagnoses. When it comes...

January 10, 2024

As one of the leading causes of infertility, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is regularly found at the center of reproductive health discussions.  According...

January 3, 2024

Most people don’t really think about their thyroid unless they’ve been diagnosed with a hormonal condition. But since women are more likely than...

December 8, 2023

  Injections. Shots. Jabs. No matter which word you use, the thought of anything requiring a syringe usually causes a shudder in most people,...

December 3, 2023

  It’s wild to think that tampons were invented nearly 100 years ago, kickstarting a menstruation revolution. While tampons didn’t take off with consumers...

November 20, 2023

Traditionally, pregnancy can occur when the male ejaculates semen – fluid from the seminal vesicles and prostate gland combined with sperm from the...

November 7, 2023

Vaginal infections, like all other infections, are no fun. But the last thing anyone wants to think about when dealing with a vaginal...

October 30, 2023

  After spending your teenage years dealing with the predictable hormonal changes that come with puberty, the last thing anyone wants as an adult...

October 23, 2023

One of the many revelations from Rescripted’s 2023 State of Sex Ed Report is how under-educated women are about their menstrual cycle. This...

October 20, 2023

Throughout history, getting your period has almost always been synonymous with the female experience. Schools would often split health classes up by gender,...

October 17, 2023

The physical and emotional toll on someone experiencing pregnancy loss should never be underestimated because miscarriage can be one of the most traumatic...

October 11, 2023

Chances are, you’ve come across several stories about intrauterine devices (IUDs) in the news lately. One of the biggest details from Britney Spears’...

October 2, 2023

So, your OB/GYN or fertility doctor has recommended a hysteroscopy — now what? More importantly, what exactly is a hysteroscopy?  A hysteroscopy is...

September 18, 2023

  It’s been more than a year since Roe v. Wade was overturned, with 20 states in the U.S. now either restricting or banning abortion outright....

September 10, 2023

Let’s not beat around the bush: Period cramps are the worst. Just hearing the word “cramps” conjures up images of heating pads, over-the-counter...

September 7, 2023

Gynecology — the branch of medicine that focuses on the female reproductive system — has been considered a modern medical specialty since the 19th century. Its closest...

August 30, 2023

Ovarian cancer is, put simply, when abnormal cells grow and multiply in the ovaries, destroying healthy body tissue. These cells can also originate...

August 16, 2023

Pregnancy loss is a devastating experience for anyone. Despite its common occurrence (the risk for healthy women ranges from 10-25%), it can take...

August 14, 2023

  Intrauterine insemination (IUI) doesn’t have the greatest reputation in the fertility community, mainly because of its low success rates. But that doesn’t mean...

August 1, 2023

While it’s never a bad time to educate women about uterine fibroids, July just happens to be Fibroids Awareness Month, which gives Rescripted...

July 23, 2023

According to the American Pregnancy Association, miscarriage is defined as a pregnancy that ends on its own within the first 20 weeks of...

July 9, 2023

  If you’re only just starting to consider in-vitro fertilization (IVF) as an option, the very concept can be intimidating. The term “IVF” is...

June 22, 2023

If you dealt with infertility before conceiving and delivering a baby, it’s only natural to hope you may be more fertile postpartum. After...

June 12, 2023

If you’re trying to start a family and find out you’ve been diagnosed with Diminished Ovarian Reserve (DOR), it’s completely understandable to feel...

May 24, 2023

People Also View

Sacha Welsh

I am a Certified Fertility Coach with an over 70% success rate....

Dani Wade

With over a decade as a licensed clinical social worker, I've dedicated...

Arden Cartrette

Arden Cartrette is a Birth + Bereavement Doula and a Grief +...

Mara Santilli

Mara Santilli is a journalist reporting on health and wellness and how...