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 perineal tears – how often they happen, how they’re treated, and what he wishes more people understood about them.

RESOURCES:

Pelvic Floor Health Guide – American Urogynecologic Society

Third and Fourth-Degree Perineal Tears – American Urogynecologic Society

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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 how birth control without a prescription might affect availability and access for people in the U.S.

Dr. Domeyer-Klenske is an obstetrician-gynecologist, director of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, and president of the Wisconsin section of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

RESOURCES:

Progestin-Only Birth Control - American College of Ob-Gyns

FDA Approves First Nonprescription Daily Oral Contraceptive - US Food and Drug Administration

Over-the-counter birth control is coming. Here's what to know about cost and coverage - National Public Radio

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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 until now, and her recent studies examining new treatment options for these symptoms.

Dr. Neal-Perry is the Robert A. Ross Distinguished Professor and Chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the University of North Carolina School of Medicine.

RESOURCES:

Safety of Fezolinetant for Vasomotor Symptoms Associated With Menopause - Obstetrics and Gynecology

5 of the Most Common Questions About Menopause - American College of Ob-Gyns

Hormone Therapy for Menopause - American College of Ob-Gyns

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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 from Dr. Kate Schoyer, a reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist in the Medical College of Wisconsin Department of Ob-Gyn, about whether everyone in the U.S. has equitable access to fertility care, what kinds of barriers may stand in the way of building a family, and what would need to change to make sure that those one in six adults can take advantage of needed fertility services.

Then we’ll hear from a Wisconsin couple – Karron and Brian – about how the financial realities of fertility care in the U.S. impacted their treatment journey.

IVF – American Society for Reproductive Medicine

ICSI – American Society for Reproductive Medicine

Coverage and Use of Fertility Services in the U.S. – Kaiser Family Foundation

Resolve.org

Building Families Alliance Wisconsin

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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 out what might be a good method for them.

Resources for more information:

Birth Control - Bedsider.org

Birth Control - Center for Young Women's Health

Birth Control - Planned Parenthood

Birth Control - Young Men's Health

Title X Clinics Locator - US Dept of Health and Human Services

Women's Healthcast: Emergency Contraception

Women's Healthcast: The State of Abortion Rights in 2022

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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 STI.

RESOURCES:

Planned Parenthood - What are STIs?

Bedsider - Sexually Transmitted Infections

Center for Young Women's Health - STIs

Young Men's Health - Sexually Transmitted Infections

U.S. CDC - Sexually Transmitted Diseases

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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 examples of how young kids can understand and exercise their autonomy, and clear up some common questions about consent.

RESOURCES:

Tea Consent (Blue Seat Studios - YouTube)

How Do You Know if Someone Wants to Have Sex with You? (Planned Parenthood - YouTube)

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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 expression, and answer questions shared by young people in Wisconsin.

Resources shared in the episode:

Gender Identity Workbook for Kids

Gender Quest Workbook: A guide for teens and young adults

Genderspectrum.org

Genderdiversity.org

The Gender Creative Child

The Transgender Child

The Transgender Teen

Scarleteen.com

Transstudent.org (Gender Unicorn)

World Professional Association for Transgender Health Standards of Care

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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 the period aisle, help us understand the differences between the products available, and offer some considerations that can help us figure out which products are the right choice for us. And while we’re in this aisle, we talk about the multi-billion-dollar feminine hygiene industry and why we can pass on all those products.

For a deeper dive into feminine hygiene products and how to care for vulvas and vaginas, listen to the Women's Healthcast interview with Dr. Laura Jacques: Vulvar Health, Care, and Cleaning.

The American College of Ob-Gyns has a guide for choosing and using period products.

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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 menstrual cycle: what’s the average age when people might get their first period, why do we experience cramps, or acne, or emotional changes around our periods, and when to talk to a doctor if pain or heavy bleeding is disrupting your daily life.

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