G&C is excited to introduce you to a special guest, Greta Kohl, an inspiring advocate for women's health. She shares about her chronic illnesses: Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Endometriosis, and Interstitial Cystitis and the journey it took for her to get her diagnoses. Particularly with Endometriosis, she acknowledges the privilege she has had; most people with uterises don't get the diagnosis for YEARS! People with uterises get so used to the rhetoric, "It's just your period" and pain is minimized. Irritable Bowel Syndrome often causes Greta the most pain and change in lifestyle. It affects the large intenstine and is managed differently by every individual. Endometriosis is a painful disorder in which the endometrium grows outside the uterus. It is often overlooked or misdiagnosed. Finally, Interstitial Cystitis is a largely unknown condition causing chronic bladder and pelvic pain. They also discuss the temptation to overlook new symptoms, the stigma around STIs, and the frustration that comes from others telling you how to "contol" your chronic pain.

They end with an important discussion of Women's Health Clinics and laws protecting people with uterises. Greta has worked on all sides of reproductive health: in family grief counseling, in abortion clinics, on a post-abortion hotline, with a national abortion funder, and now is getting a certification as a doula. They talk about the misconceptions that people are "pro-abortion" or are making these difficult decisions lightly. They also discuss the importance of having better sex education and women's clinics to meet community health needs. They end with an introduction to doula work and a chat about the current over-medicalization of pregnancy.

Other sources: ROE Act