According to the American Pregnancy Association, miscarriage is defined as a pregnancy that ends on its own within the first 20 weeks of gestation, with the risk for healthy women ranging from 10-25%. Although miscarriage is, by data standards, a common occurrence, it is no less devastating for those involved.  Naturally, friends and loved ones will want to offer support to those who have experienced a miscarriage. Oftentimes, however, their well-meaning actions can end up causing more distress than comfort. Although every person’s needs differ, it’s important to remember that miscarriage brings forth multiple types of...

Sarene Leeds • Jul 9, 2023

I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and panic disorder when I was just fourteen years old. My symptoms came to a head when my conditions began impeding on my attendance at school. Nearly every morning, I found myself practically crippled by panic attacks that left me tired and weak for the remainder of the day.  Together, my primary care physician and psychologist decided medication might be the next best route for me. I began taking Lexapro, also known as its generic name Escitalopram, and I finally found relief from my regular panic attacks and...

Brighid Flynn • Jul 9, 2023

Can masturbation cause infertility? In short, the answer is no. So you can breathe a sigh of relief.  Masturbation is completely normal and healthy. Incorporating pleasure into your daily and weekly routines is equally as important as other areas of wellness such as working out, eating a nutrient-rich diet, and getting high-quality sleep.  There have been layers of shame placed on top of female masturbation over the years, which has conditioned women to think it’s “bad,” when in reality, sexual health is a major component of your overall health and vitality.  How masturbation affects your body ...

Caroline McMorrow • Jul 6, 2023

Unless you live under a rock, you’ve probably been seeing ads for period underwear everywhere lately, as have we.  With more awareness being brought to sustainability, the Pink Tax, and various toxins found in conventional menstrual products, it makes sense as to why this trend has taken off.  The Impact of Menstrual Products Financial Impact According to the National Organization for Women, the average woman spends over $20 on menstrual products per cycle, adding up to about $18,000 over her lifetime.  Environmental Impact In the United States alone, approximately 12 billion pads and 7 billion tampons...

Caroline McMorrow • Jul 5, 2023

Can you get a Pap smear while on your period? We’ll cut to the chase with this one. The short answer is: Yes, you can. While it may seem obvious that getting a pap smear while menstruating can make the entire process a little bit messier than it otherwise would be, it's definitely doable. You might just need to jump through a few more hoops first.  What is a pap smear? A Pap smear is a medical procedure used to screen for cervical cancer, and it is an essential part of women's preventative healthcare starting around the...

Brighid Flynn • Jul 5, 2023

We’ve all seen what early pregnancy looks like on TV and in the movies: A woman is going about her day as usual when nausea hits her out of nowhere. She stops to vomit dramatically before a look of realization passes over her face…and then she takes a pregnancy test, which immediately reflects two bold, unmistakable pink lines. In real life? Well, it doesn’t necessarily work like that.  When I was trying to conceive, I joined a Facebook group full of other people who were attempting to build their families. Nearly every day, there was a...

Zara Hanawalt • Jul 3, 2023

In the past few years, we’ve finally started to speak openly about pregnancy loss. Now, people are starting to grasp the fact that miscarriages are common and that no one is to blame for their pregnancy loss — two truths that are finally starting to seep into public consciousness.  But there’s still so much the general public just doesn’t get when it comes to miscarriage. From the physical realities of how they happen, to the way they affect their sufferers both physically and emotionally. It’s not just that miscarriages can be devastating. It’s also that they...

Zara Hanawalt • Jul 2, 2023

When Tim McGraw and Faith Hill’s daughter, Gracie McGraw posted a recent photo of herself in a bikini, a fellow social media user took it as an opportunity to make an assumption about McGraw — but McGraw chose to do something unexpected. She came clean about a vulnerable, personal bit of health information. McGraw captioned her photo “It’s a gorgeous day for narcissism!”, and a user chose to comment “and Ozempic!” Let’s get clear about one thing: Speculating about someone’s body in this way is not okay. But McGraw took the moment and turned it into...

Zara Hanawalt • Jul 1, 2023

If you've been diagnosed with PCOS, trying to figure out how to manage it can feel like pure chaos, especially if you’re trying to improve your fertility outcomes. Fortunately, you’re not alone. Around 10% of reproductive-age women suffer from PCOS.  Unmanaged PCOS can put you at risk of developing other health complications down the line such as type 2 diabetes, according to the CDC, which is why it's important to figure out a care plan that’s custom to you and targets the root cause of your symptoms.  What are the symptoms of PCOS? PCOS is a...

Caroline McMorrow • Jun 30, 2023

Boric acid: It certainly doesn’t sound like something you would want to put in your body, much less use it as a medical treatment for a yeast infection or BV. Shockingly, however, boric acid has been used in vaginal health care for more than a hundred years due to its mild antiseptic, antifungal, and antiviral properties.  So, what is boric acid, exactly? And how can it be used to treat common vaginal infections? Let’s dive in to learn more about this over-the-counter solution!  What is boric acid? Boric acid is a white powder derived from the...

Brighid Flynn • Jun 29, 2023