Men and women aren’t the same when it comes to physiology, but the male body has been the default in medical research. Today, doctors and researchers are identifying the differences between men and women and how best to treat each individual more effectively. Dr. Kirtly Parker Jones details the differences we know, the ones we’re looking into, and how these differences are changing the way we heal patients.

Germs on my lemon? Germs in my car? A recent Men’s Health article listed six everyday items that have tested surprisingly high for bacteria and fecal matter, including the slice of lemon in your water glass. Dr. Kirtly Parker Jones explains whether or not you need to bust out the industrial strength cleaner and start sterilizing.

The placenta seems like the perfect organ to take care of a fetus. Letting in everything good and keeping out everything bad. But the placenta isn’t perfect. OBGYN Dr. Kirtly Parker Jones explores how the womb works and how infections like the Zika virus can sneak past its defenses to affect the growing fetus.

Cancer is the result of back luck, bad genes, unhealthy behavior, or a combination of all three. While you can't control your luck or your genes, you can control your behavior. Dr. Kirtly Parker Jones discusses how behavior can contribute to cancer. She also talks about small lifestyle changes you can make to decrease your risk for cancer.

Need to get back on birth control but don’t have time for a clinic visit? There’s an app for that. Finding time to get to the doctor can be difficult, especially for young women, women who work full time and women who live in rural areas. Luckily in the digital age, we can buy anything online, including birth control. Dr. Kirtly Parker Jones explains everything you need to know about buying your birth control on the web.

Human beings have developed large brains to give us a leg up as a species. But a big brain means a big head, and a big head makes getting a baby out during birth difficult. Vaginal birth can lead to a weakening of the pelvic floor in a minority of women. Age and other factors also can weaken the structure and cause complications. In fact, one in five American women will undergo pelvic floor surgery to repair damage. Dr. Kirtly Parker Jones sits down with urogyneocologist Dr. Ingrid Nygaard to talk about what women can do to keep their pelvic floor strong and how a new study at the U is looking into how women can rebuild pelvic floor strength after childbirth.

It’s like a scene straight out of a movie. A woman has gone into labor on her way to the hospital. The baby is coming now, and you are the only one who can help. But don’t. Just don’t. Dr. Kirtly Parker Jones tells bystanders to “keep their hands to themselves.” She also has advice for anyone who finds themselves in this scenario and what few things you can do to assist the mother while she delivers her baby.

First and foremost - do not panic. Do not get into a car and drive yourself to the hospital. Get to ground level and listen to your body. Dr. Kirtly Parker Jones reminds us that women all over the world deliver babies outside of a hospital and goes through the basic steps to deliver your baby at home when getting to the hospital is just not an option.

Some women describe feeling extremely unbalanced and more prone to dropping things while pregnant, especially in the last trimester. Most women gain 30 pounds in front throughout the pregnancy, and Dr. Kirtly Parker Jones compares the weight gain to wearing a backpack on your waist. It’s going to be hard to balance. Dr. Jones talks about how weight gain, as well as other changes in the body, can make you a little clumsier during pregnancy.

Many women choose to have their ovaries removed during a hysterectomy. Though removing the ovaries adds little to overall risk of the surgery, it could contribute to colon cancer or other potential health problems. In this episode, Dr. Kirtly Parker Jones discusses the risks and benefits of removing the ovaries.