If you sat down, spread open your legs, and pulled out a hand mirror, would you be able to name what you saw? Seems like a silly question — but there’s a common mistake most people make. “99% of the time, if someone says ‘my vagina,’ they actually mean their vulva,” says board-certified OB/GYN Dr. Staci Tanouye.  Do you think you know the difference? And why does it matter? Dr. Tanouye helps us understand. What is the vulva? “Everything you can see, touch, externally is the vulva,” says Dr. Tanouye. The vulva is the external genital...

The menstrual cycle is made up of four phases and 28-35 days that are each unique and bring with them their own ups and downs. Our hormones dictate the release of an egg during ovulation as well as the shedding of the lining of the uterus during our period. And because these hormone levels change during the various stages of our lives, it’s only natural that the monthly bleeding we experience changes, too.  So, how does your period change with age? We're diving into this topic and speaking to Dr. Dara Havemann of Dallas IVF to...

Life is stressful, and when you add in trying to conceive, it reaches entirely new bounds. Those stressors can impact everything from your desire for sex to your period.  If the stress is short-lived, you may miss a period or be a few days late. But if your stress lingers, it can impact more than one cycle or even tie into other physical symptoms.  How does stress affect your period? "If you go through a time of high stress, your body reacts with an increase in stress steroids and alterations in your hormones that can temporarily...

It’s a chicken and egg question: Does iron deficiency — a condition caused by losing too much iron from your red blood cells — cause heavy periods, or do heavy periods cause iron deficiency? With one-third of women suffering from some form of iron deficiency due to heavy periods, it’s something we are asked about quite often! Let’s dig in: What is iron deficiency?  Iron deficiency happens when your body has too little iron for your red blood cells to effectively carry oxygen through your body. Iron deficiency is a condition that can seriously interfere with your ability to live...

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 until closer to the mid-20th century, there is no doubt that this little piece of compressed cotton made a huge difference in our comfort during that time of the month.  Since tampons are inserted internally, allowing for discreet absorption of blood flow, activities like swimming and various other sports were no longer off-limits while “Aunt Flo” was in town.  Unfortunately, with all the physical freedom tampons provide, there remain staggering education gaps about...

Let’s be real — periods are a pain.  Every month, 1.8 billion people across the world menstruate. More than half of people who menstruate have at least some pain for 1 to 2 days each month. However, “dysmenorrhea”, the medical term for painful periods or severe menstrual cramps, is not a phrase many people are familiar with or taught about.  What is Dysmenorrhea? “Dysmenorrhea” is the medical term used for cramping, and aching pains in your abdomen experienced during your period. Primarily, the cramps you feel are likely caused by uterine contractions. During your menstrual period, the uterine...

Here’s the reality of women’s health: We’re not given enough information about our bodies, and that can affect us in major ways.  Take periods, for example. For so long, we’ve been told that discussing our cycles is “TMI”, “gross”, or “too personal”. We internalize those messages, and as a result, we don’t talk about our menstrual health — not in social instances, and often not when it comes time to advocate for ourselves in medical settings either.  It’s a vicious cycle: When we don’t speak up about our menstrual health, we don’t get a sense of...

If you menstruate, there will inevitably come a time in your life when you say goodbye and good riddance to periods for good. This is called menopause — the season of life in which a person permanently stops having periods and can no longer get pregnant. Medically, menopause is defined as having no menstrual bleeding, including spotting, for 12 consecutive months. In the United States, the average age to reach menopause is 51. This age varies widely, though, generally occurring in a woman's 40s or 50s.  So, what exactly happens during menopause? First, if you’re not there...

If you’ve ever felt a sharp twinge of pain, one-sided cramps, or a sensation of uncomfortable pressure on the side of your lower abdomen around 12-16 days before your period starts, you may have experienced ovulation pain. Ovulation, or the release of an egg from your ovary, typically occurs about two weeks before the start of your next menstrual period. For many, ovulation comes and goes with no prominent signs that it’s happening. For some, however, the ovulation phase can be worse than PMS. So how do you know when it’s run-of-the-mill ovulation pain, or when...

If you are a menstruating human, you are no stranger to the period poops. They are unpredictable, always unwelcome, and seem to come as a surprise almost every month, even though you’re kind of expecting them.  It turns out, that if you get a hint that your period’s on its way based on how many times you’re running to the bathroom, it’s not just a coincidence. And for all you IBS girlies out there, you really know what we’re talking about. There are hormonal reasons behind this: Your bowel habits fluctuate along with your hormones throughout...