Ovarian cancer is, put simply, when abnormal cells grow and multiply in the ovaries, destroying healthy body tissue. These cells can also originate in the fallopian tubes or peritoneum, the membrane that lines the inside of your abdomen and pelvis. The American Cancer Society predicts that nearly 20,000 women will receive an ovarian cancer diagnosis in 2023. Sometimes known as the “silent killer,” ovarian cancer ranks fifth in cancer deaths among women.  One of the reasons this particular disease carries the unceremonious title of “silent killer” is because ovarian cancer isn’t always easy to detect.  As...

Sarene Leeds • Aug 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 some time to recover both physically and emotionally after a miscarriage.  An interesting result of pregnancy loss, however, is the question of whether or not women become more fertile after miscarriage. This can stem from one of the more repeated (albeit unhelpful) platitudes women tend to receive: “At least you got pregnant!” The possibility of increased fertility post-miscarriage offers women something that they may need during a very painful time in their lives...

Sarene Leeds • Aug 14, 2023

When it comes to fertility supplements, there are some basic nutrients we know we have to check off. Essential micronutrients like selenium, iron, zinc, folate, choline, vitamins A-E and K, and iodine all come as semi-no-brainers.  And if you’ve spent any time shopping the aisles for fertility supplements, you know these nutrients are found in just about every single prenatal vitamin you pick up.  These are all great and fully necessary micronutrients, yes, but there are a handful of other, well-researched compounds that help to maintain the health of your reproductive cells (sperm or eggs) and...

Caroline McMorrow • Aug 13, 2023

When I first saw the description of The Retrievals, a podcast from the New York Times, I was horrified…but I wasn’t exactly shocked. The podcast details the stories of patients who sought out IVF treatments but experienced excruciating pain during their egg retrievals. The pain persisted after these patients went home…and for a while, no one could understand why. As it turns out, a nurse at the clinic was stealing fentanyl and replacing it with saline. This is a specific story with a particular culprit. It happened for a simple reason: Someone tampered with the narcotic...

Zara Hanawalt • Aug 12, 2023

Let's dive right in: The pelvic floor consists of a series of muscles that sit at the base of your abdomen and connect all the way towards the bone you feel when you sit down for too long — the "sits" bone for short. The pelvic floor helps to support, stabilize, and secure your pelvic organs and has a strong connection to your "core" as well as to maintaining sexual function. Now, the core is a huge buzzword, especially in the fitness world. But do we even truly understand what the core is? Don't worry, I'm...

Alyssa Hariprashad, DPT • Aug 12, 2023

Cycle-syncing apps have been all the rage lately, and we’re here for them — especially since they help women understand their bodies on a deeper level. Nearly one-third of women in the U.S. use them, too.  It’s crazy when you peel back the layers and realize how many women don’t know anything about their own menstrual cycle, including when they’re ovulating, which "phase" they’re in at any given time of the month, what that means for them and their body, and more.  When we don’t understand what’s going on inside our bodies, we can’t optimize our...

Caroline McMorrow • Aug 11, 2023

They say glowing on the outside starts from the inside, and it turns out, there’s actually some scientific truth to that down to the microscopic level (literally).  Gut health and the gut microbiome seem to be all the rage these days and for good reason. We’ve learned more about the gut microbiome in the past 10 years than ever before, and the SparkNotes version of those findings is that the strength and diversity of your gut microbiome affect every single aspect of your health.  From your immune system to sleep quality — the bacteria, viruses, and...

Caroline McMorrow • Aug 9, 2023

Sponsored by Organon. Visit FertilityJourney.com for infertility resources and information. Jennifer “Jay” Palumbo is a writer, public speaker, infertility advocate, author of the blog “The 2 Week Wait,” and a proud in vitro fertilization (IVF) mom of 2 boys. This article is based on her own fertility journey. If you're just starting out on your fertility journey, you may feel a bit overwhelmed with all of the new information being thrown at you. I know I sure did!  One thing I noticed when starting my infertility journey is that there are a ton of acronyms and...

Jennifer “Jay” Palumbo • Aug 7, 2023

If you’ve logged onto TikTok or Instagram recently, you may have noticed the seemingly endless scroll of videos claiming to help you improve your health and fertility. Some are from legitimate medical providers, some are from people with absolutely zero credentials; a lot of it is conflicting, and, if you’re anything like me, all of it is overwhelming.   You should be exercising 5-6 times per week for optimal health and fertility — but you shouldn’t work out too hard during your period, or else you’ll disrupt your hormones. You should get rid of all of the endocrine-disrupting...

Kristyn Hodgdon • Aug 6, 2023

Women don’t have enough information about their bodies — that’s just a fact. Speaking of facts, where do you draw the line between those actual truths and the rampant myths that exist in the realm of women’s, menstrual, and reproductive health? It’s tough, especially since we’ve been brought up to believe these issues aren’t up for discussion in social settings. The shame associated with that idea leaves us both wondering if what we’re experiencing is “normal” and afraid to voice concerns when it comes to the realities of our bodies. Of course, it also doesn’t help...

Zara Hanawalt • Aug 5, 2023