In this episode of the Re:Pro Health Podcast, we are joined by Casey Eberl, RN, to discuss her work with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Gaza. Casey shares insights into the realities of humanitarian healthcare, from navigating conflict and resource limitations to supporting communities affected by war and displacement. We also explore the resilience of local healthcare workers and community members, as well as the moments of connection and hope that make this work so meaningful. Thank you, Casey, for joining us and sharing your experiences. 

*Content Warning: This episode contains descriptions of human conflict, bombings, human suffering, and death.

In this episode of the Re:Pro Health Podcast, we are joined by Brittany Johnson, assistant professor at MacEwan University and PhD candidate in Indigenous Studies. Tune in as we unpack the impact of colonization on traditional Indigenous birthing practices and Indigenous sexual and reproductive health. We discuss the disparities Indigenous peoples face within the healthcare system and explore what meaningful change can look like through Indigenous-led care and more culturally safe healthcare practices. Thank you Brittany for joining us! 

Resources:

1. native-land.ca

2. tipiconfessions.com

Tune in to our next episode of the Re:Pro Health Podcast with Dr. Rebecca Rich, an OBGYN who sat down with us to talk about Inner City Health including barriers to accessing care and challenges within the healthcare system when it comes to providing quality care. We also discuss care for pregnant and parenting persons and how strong communication, multidisciplinary care as well as trauma-informed, culturally sensitive care goes a long way for patients. A huge thank you to Dr. Rich for sharing her perspective and experiences on our podcast!

On this episode of the Re:Pro Health Podcast, we are joined by Dr. Sue Chandra, a maternal fetal medicine specialist, to unpack what "advanced maternal age" really means. What are the risks of being pregnant at age 35 or older? At what point do concerns regarding infertility get investigated? We also discuss what testing, monitoring, and counselling may look like for people trying to conceive or navigate pregnancy at an older age. 

Resources:

For Patients:

• MyHealthAlberta handout: https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/aftercareinformation/pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=uh3655
• Perinatal Services BC guide: https://www.psbchealthhub.ca/clinical-guidance/721

For Providers:

• Guidelines from the Society of Obstetricians & Gynecologists of Canada – Delayed Childbearing (2017)
• Guidelines from the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (2022): https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/obstetric-care-consensus/articles/2022/08/pregnancy-at-age-35-years-or-older

Welcome to Season 8 of the Re:Pro Health Podcast! In episode 81, we're joined by Dr. Stephanie Hart (she/her), a family medicine physician specializing in sexual function and one of only a few physicians in the country offering this kind of care. We're thrilled to pick her brain about all things orgasm. Together, we unpack what an orgasm "should" feel like, explore the orgasm gap, and bust common myths about length and type of orgasm. If you're one of the many people who has ever wondered what's "normal" when it comes to orgasm -this episode is for you.

For our final episode of the season, we invited Dr. Simone Lebeuf, a pediatrician specializing in Adolescent Medicine, to talk about pregnant & parenting teens. In this episode, we talk about common societal misconceptions about teen pregnancy, unique challenges faced by this population, and how we can support adolescents navigating pregnancy and parenting. A huge thank you to Dr. Lebeuf for sharing her knowledge and expertise - what a great way to close our season!

Resources:

For Young Parents

• Terra Centre
• Adolescent Pregnancy Clinic

For Providers

• Guidelines from the Canadian Pediatric Society
• Guidelines from the Society of Obstetricians & Gynecologists of Canada

CONTENT WARNING: Human trafficking, sexual abuse, physical abuse, psychological abuse. 

In this episode of the Re:Pro podcast we are privileged to be joined by sisters Monique and Michelle Williams. Monique is currently a second year family medicine resident, a member of the Canadian Armed Forces, and the current chair of the CaRMS board of directors. Our focus this episode will be Monique's sister, Michelle, who shares her story as someone who has experienced human trafficking. How does human trafficking start and what might put someone at-risk of being trafficked? What prevents people from escaping trafficking? How can we recognize signs that someone is being trafficked, not just as healthcare professionals but also as friends and family? What does human trafficking look like in Edmonton? Michelle's story is one of incredible importance and unfortunately, more common than many might expect. We can't thank Michelle and Monique enough for having this discussion with us and helping bring awareness to the issue of human trafficking. 

If you or anyone you know may be experiencing human trafficking, please see the following resources: 

• Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-833-900-1010

• Center to Empower All Survivors of Sexual Exploitation (CEASE): (780) 471-6137 or [email protected]

• SNUG: (780) 452-6100 or http://www.metischild.com/2019Site/snug.html

• Sexual Exploitation Working Group: https://www.sewgedmonton.com/community-resources

For this week's episode, we sat down for an important conversation with Heba, a midwife who spent six weeks this past summer providing reproductive healthcare in war-torn Gaza. We encourage you to listen to Heba's stories and insights, as she reflects on her experiences providing essential reproductive healthcare. We sincerely thank Heba for speaking with us.

This episode has a content warning, as descriptions of human conflict including bombing, human suffering, and death are discussed. 

Please note that this conversation was recorded on March 8, 2025. On March 18, 2025 the ceasefire was broken and overnight and over 400 Palestinians were killed, many were children. We encourage you to listen to Heba's story and to continue seeking out reliable news sources to stay up to date.

Join us for the newest episode of season 7 of the Re:Pro Health Podcast. We are joined by Dr. Jonathan Tankel to dissect the intricacies of being a male obstetrician and gynaecologist (OBGYN). Patient comfort and preference is always a priority, so what are the options for a patient in labour who would prefer to receive care solely from female physicians? Dr. Tankel practices as an OBGYN at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta. Listen in as he shares how to navigate the nuances of providing care in sexual and reproductive health spaces as a male physician.

Links to resources: 

CMPA Article:

When patients make special requests, how should you respond: https://www.cmpa-acpm.ca/en/advice-publications/browse-articles/2019/when-patients-make-special-requests-how-should-you-respond

Articles by Dr. Christa Aubrey:

Accommodating Immigrant Women's Preferences for Female Health Care Providers: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28426597/

Perspectives of Immigrant Women on the Gender of Provider During Childbirth: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29274934/

Gender of Provider-Barrier to Immigrant Women's Obstetrical Care: A Narrative Review: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28625284/ 

Join us for this episode as we welcome back Tami-Lee Duncan to chat with us about sexual resilience! What is sexual resilience? What does empowerment through rebuilding sexual resilience look like and how is it achieved? Tami-Lee is a registered psychologist and owner of Transcend Psychological Services. On this week's episode, Tami-Lee shares her extensive experience working with survivors of sexual violence to answer these questions and more on rebuilding comfort and safety in intimacy and relationships. Please note that this episode discusses subject matter that may be triggering or uncomfortable for some listeners and listener discretion is advised. 

Check out her website for more info: https://www.transcendwellness.ca/