Chlamydia and gonorrhea are two of the most common sexually transmitted infections, or STIs, in the United States. For Wisconsin in particular, rates of both diseases are on the rise. Dr. Jess Dalby joined this episode of the Women’s Healthcast to talk about the signs and symptoms of chlamydia and gonorrhea, the risks of untreated disease, and how to get tested and treated for common STIs. She also talked about a recent study that found chlamydia and gonorrhea are increasing in Wisconsin, and wh...
Jun 25, 2025•35 min•Ep. 117
For many young people, the idea of starting to get a period is at least a little bit stressful. Dr. Katie O’Brien , a pediatric and adolescent gynecologist in the UW Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, helps kids and families in her clinic feel more prepared for periods. She joined this episode of the Women’s Healthcast to talk about what periods are, how to choose the right period products for you, when to get help for heavy or painful periods, and more. Resources shared by Dr. O'Brien: We...
Jun 11, 2025•28 min•Ep. 116
In August 2024, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released updated recommendations for pain management during intrauterine device placement. Dr. Molly Lepic and Dr. Abigail Cutler joined this episode of the Women’s Healthcast to tell us more about what these recommendations mean for patients, and why pain management during IUD placement is such a hot topic. Dr. Lepic and Dr. Cutler are both obstetrician-gynecologists in the UW Department of Ob-Gyn. They talked about the different...
Nov 20, 2024•51 min•Ep. 115
Incidence and mortality rates for endometrial cancer within the United States are on the rise. We also see a significant disparity in survival rates for endometrial cancer between Black and white patients in the U.S. Charlotte Gamble joined this episode of the Women's Healthcast to discuss disparities in treating and diagnosing endometrial cancer. Dr. Gamble is an attending surgeon in gynecologic oncology at the Washington Cancer Institute at the MedStar Washington Hospital Center, which is part...
Nov 07, 2024•42 min•Ep. 114
Pelvic floor physical therapy is a common treatment option that can be immensely helpful for people experiencing pelvic floor issues like incontinence or prolapse. But some patients may be reluctant to consider pelvic floor PT, or unsure about how it works. Sari Archer and Carrie Schwoerer joined this episode of the Women’s Healthcast to tell us more about pelvic floor disorders, how physical therapy can help, what the process is like, and where physical therapy fits under the broader umbrella o...
Sep 18, 2024•40 min•Ep. 113
As part of the Women’s Healthcast series about the fourth trimester, we’ve talked about physical recovery , breastfeeding , birth control after pregnancy , postpartum mental health , and long-term health concerns after birth . For the final episode in this series, Dr. Tiffany Green talked about inequities in postpartum health and policies that impact peoples’ ability to recover after giving birth. Dr. Green is an associate professor in the University of Wisconsin–Madison Department of Population...
May 08, 2024•27 min•Ep. 112
One in eight people in the United States have high blood pressure or hypertension during their pregnancies. What does that mean for their health moving forward? Our guests joined the Women’s Healthcast to talk about blood pressure and cardiovascular concerns during and after pregnancy. Dr. Kara Hoppe is an associate professor in the UW Department of Ob-Gyn Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine. Megan Knutson-Sinaise is a research coordinator and health coach. They discussed how common blood pressu...
Apr 17, 2024•44 min•Ep. 111
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists calls the 12 weeks after giving birth the Fourth Trimester. In this series, the Women’s Healthcast will air episodes about physical recovery, postpartum mental health, birth control after pregnancy, and more. Dr. Ryan McDonald joined the Women’s Healthcast to talk about postpartum depression and anxiety. Dr. McDonald is a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the UW Department of Ob-Gyn. He talked about postpartum mental health...
Apr 03, 2024•41 min•Ep. 110
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists calls the 12 weeks after giving birth the Fourth Trimester. On the Women’s Healthcast, we’re airing a Fourth Trimester series, with episodes about physical recovery after birth, postpartum mental health, breastfeeding, and more. Dr. Katie Sampene joined this episode to talk about pregnancy prevention in the fourth trimester. Dr. Sampene as an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the UW Department of Ob-Gyn. She discussed reco...
Mar 13, 2024•30 min•Ep. 109
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists calls the 12 weeks after giving birth the Fourth Trimester. For the next few months, the Women’s Healthcast will air a Fourth Trimester series, with episodes about physical recovery, postpartum mental health, birth control after pregnancy, and more. Dr. Molly Lepic joined the Women’s Healthcast to talk about a common aspect of the postpartum period: breastfeeding. Dr. Lepic is an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the UW De...
Feb 28, 2024•48 min•Ep. 108
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists calls the 12 weeks after giving birth the Fourth Trimester. For the next few months, the Women’s Healthcast will air a Fourth Trimester series, with episodes about physical recovery, postpartum mood changes, breastfeeding, and so much more. Our first episode covered general questions about physical recovery after giving birth. On this episode, we’ll learn more about one particular aspect of recovery: perineal tears, or perineal lacerations....
Feb 14, 2024•28 min•Ep. 107
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists calls the 12 weeks after giving birth the Fourth Trimester. For the next few months, the Women’s Healthcast will air a Fourth Trimester series, with episodes about physical recovery, postpartum mood changes, breastfeeding, and so much more. On the first episode of our Fourth Trimester series, Dr. Kim Bannon joined us to talk about physical recovery after giving birth. Dr. Bannon is an obstetrician-gynecologist in the University of Wisconsin...
Jan 31, 2024•37 min•Ep. 106
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists calls the 12 weeks after giving birth the Fourth Trimester. This can be a time of significant physical and emotional change, and also a period of time where it’s hard to prioritize your own wellbeing. To kick off 2024, the Women’s Healthcast will air a Fourth Trimester series, with episodes about physical recovery, postpartum mood changes, breastfeeding, and so much more. Over the next several weeks, we will learn more about postpartum heal...
Jan 18, 2024•1 min•Ep. 105
Reproductive coercion – any behavior that interferes with someone’s ability to make decisions about their reproductive health – can happen in the context of intimate relationships, family relationships, or even in health care settings. Laura Swan, PhD, LCSW , research scientist in the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health Department of Population Health Sciences and the UW Collaborative for Reproductive Equity, joined the Women’s Healthcast to talk about her research on re...
Nov 29, 2023•28 min•Ep. 104
November is Bladder Health Month. To celebrate, we’re replaying an interview with Angie Sergeant, a nurse practitioner in the UW Health Women’s Pelvic Wellness Clinic. In this interview from 2020, Angie talks about risk factors for pelvic floor disorders, pelvic floor physical therapy and other interventions, and what visits to her clinic look like. If you’d like to learn more about pelvic floor disorders, join providers in the UW Health Women’s Pelvic Wellness Clinic at a free, virtual Healthy ...
Nov 01, 2023•16 min•Ep. 103
Health disparities in the United States are a pressing issue – and we see gaps in health outcomes across all aspects of ob-gyn care, too. What role does the health care system have in reducing health disparities? Dr. Denise Howard sat down with the Women’s Healthcast in advance of delivering the keynote lecture “Our Greatest Challenge: Eliminating Healthcare Disparities” at the 2023 UW Women’s Health and Health Equity Research Lecture & Symposium. Dr. Howard is Chief of Obstetrics & Gyne...
Oct 25, 2023•25 min•Ep. 102
Can starting a new birth control method, or changing your method, be as easy as opening an app, answering a few questions about your health, and picking up your prescription? E-visits for contraception are increasingly popular, whether offered through clinics or online-only services. Dr. Eliza Bennett , an ob-gyn at UW Health, and Nicole Shapiro , a nurse practitioner and certified nurse midwife at UW Health, joined the Women’s Healthcast to talk about e-visits for birth control: how the process...
Oct 11, 2023•22 min•Ep. 101
Palliative care – medical care to help relieve symptoms and improve quality of life for people with serious illnesses – is often a key component of cancer care and treatment. During Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month, Dr. Catherine Zhang joined the Women’s Healthcast to talk about palliative care, palliative care’s place in gynecologic cancer treatment, and how people can approach conversations around advance care planning in their own lives. Dr. Zhang is a gynecologic oncologist in the UW Depar...
Sep 27, 2023•24 min•Ep. 100
Perineal tears, or perineal lacerations, are a very common complication that can happen during childbirth – somewhere between 60-70 percent of people who give birth experience some degree of tearing in the skin or muscles between the vagina and anus. Despite their frequency, they’re not a commonly-discussed topic. Our guest today hopes to change that. Dr. Jon Pennycuff, a Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgeon in the UW Department of Ob-Gyn, joined the Women’s Healthcast to talk about...
Sep 22, 2023•27 min•Ep. 99
In July 2023, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved a birth control pill for over-the-counter use, meaning most consumers could buy it from a pharmacy without a prescription. The pill will likely be available sometime in 2024. To learn more about the progestin-only birth control that’s approved for over-the-counter use, we talked with Dr. Amy Domeyer-Klenske. We discussed how the pill works, important safety considerations for people to know, and the remaining questions about h...
Sep 13, 2023•28 min•Ep. 98
Vasomotor symptoms, also known as hot flashes, are one of the most common and most disruptive symptoms of the perimenopause transition. For some people, they can happen more than seven times a day. And once hot flashes start, people experience them for an average of 2 years (but sometimes as long as 10 to 12 years). On this episode of the Women’s Healthcast, Dr. Genevieve Neal-Perry joins us to talk about a new understanding of what causes hot flashes, what hot flash management has looked like u...
May 10, 2023•22 min•Ep. 97
In early April 2023, the World Health Organization released a new report that suggests one in six adults – or roughly 17.5% of the world’s adult population – will be affected by infertility in their lifetime. Despite how common infertility is, access to treatment in the United States is inconsistent. This week (April 23-29, 2023) is National Infertility Awareness Week. For this episode of the Women’s Healthcast, we wanted to focus on equity and access in the infertility world. First, we’ll hear ...
Apr 26, 2023•25 min•Ep. 96
There’s a lot to consider when choosing the right birth control -- what will work with your lifestyle? What are your goals? Are there other health issues you should consider before starting a method? Where can you go to find the right birth control for you? On this Back to Basics episode of the Women’s Healthcast, guest experts Dr. Ryan Luellwitz and Dr. Paula Cody answer all our common birth control questions: what kinds of birth control are available, how they work, and how someone can figure ...
Apr 12, 2023•39 min•Ep. 95
Sexually transmitted infections (or STIs) are incredibly common – over half of people in the U.S. will have an STI at some point in their life. Despite being so common, we still approach STIs with a lot of stigma and shame, and maybe even avoid talking about them at all! On this Back to Basics episode of the Women’s Healthcast, guest experts Dr. Ryan Luellwitz and Dr. Paula Cody talk about safe sex, preventing or avoiding STIs, and how to find testing and treatment if you think you may have an S...
Mar 22, 2023•28 min•Ep. 94
Understanding bodily autonomy and consent can be crucial tools for navigating healthy relationships of all kinds, including romantic relationships. But helping young people build a strong sense of self and understand boundaries and autonomy should start when kids are as young as possible, well before romantic relationships are on the horizon. On this Back to Basics episode of the Women’s Healthcast, guest experts Dr. Ryan Luellwitz and Dr. Paula Cody define bodily autonomy, share some low-stakes...
Mar 08, 2023•38 min•Ep. 93
Our understanding of gender identity, gender expression, sexuality, and sexual orientation has expanded so much over time. On this Back to Basics episode of the Women’s Healthcast, guest experts Dr. Ryan Luellwitz and Dr. Paula Cody make sure we have a solid foundation to understand the nuances of biological sex, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, and more. They also offer resources for young people, parents, and other supportive adults to learn more about gender identity and ex...
Feb 22, 2023•38 min•Ep. 92
Just about half the world’s population has had or will have a period at some point. But despite how common menstruation is, there can still be some confusion or even stigma around period products like pads, tampons, menstrual cups, and more. And that’s not even getting into the huge industry around so-called feminine hygiene products that can often do more harm than good. On this bonus episode of the Women’s Healthcast Back to Basics series, Dr. Paula Cody and Dr. Ryan Luellwitz walk us through ...
Feb 10, 2023•19 min•Ep. 91
Welcome to Back to Basics, a new series from the Women’s Healthcast answering some of the most common questions about sexual and reproductive health. Guest experts Dr. Ryan Luellwitz and Dr. Paula Cody will bring us back to the basics of anatomy, gender, sexuality, the menstrual cycle, safe sex, sexually transmitted infections, birth control, bodily autonomy, and so much more. In our second episode, Dr. Luellwitz and Dr. Cody answer some of our most common questions about periods and the menstru...
Jan 26, 2023•40 min•Ep. 90
Welcome to Back to Basics, a new series from the Women’s Healthcast! Over the next several episodes, we will answer some of the most common questions about sexual and reproductive health and provide resources for parents and supportive adults who may want to start having these conversations with the kids in their lives. Guest experts Dr. Ryan Luellwitz and Dr. Paula Cody will bring us back to the basics of anatomy, gender, sexuality, the menstrual cycle, safe sex, sexually transmitted infections...
Jan 12, 2023•40 min•Ep. 89
Starting in January 2023, the Women’s Healthcast will air a Back To Basics series with the aim of answering some of the most common questions about sexual and reproductive health and providing resources for parents and supportive adults who may want to start having these conversations with the kids in their lives. Guest experts Dr. Ryan Luellwitz and Dr. Paula Cody will bring us back to the basics of anatomy, gender, sexuality, the menstrual cycle, safe sex, sexually transmitted infections, birt...
Dec 21, 2022•2 min•Ep. 88
