Ob-Gyn UW-Madison

Rob Garza
Media Specialist
Administration

rgarza@wisc.edu
608-417-6963
Office Address
McConnell Hall, 4^th Floor
1010 Mound Street
Madison, WI, 53715

Women’s Healthcast: Fourth Trimester: Heart Health after Pregnancy, featuring Kara Hoppe and Megan Knutson-Sinaise

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists calls the 12 weeks after giving birth the Fourth Trimester. This is the latest episode in the Women’s Healthcast series about important aspects of the fourth trimester: physical recovery, postpartum mental health, birth control after pregnancy, and more.

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 today joined the Women’s Healthcast to talk about blood pressure and cardiovascular concerns during and after pregnancy. Kara Hoppe, DO, MS 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 pressure issues are during pregnancy, important signs and symptoms to be aware of, and what people should know about their lifelong cardiovascular health after high blood pressure during pregnancy.

Listen to Fourth Trimester: Heart Health after Pregnancy now.

Did you know the Women’s Healthcast is available on all your favorite podcast platforms? Whether you like to listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podbean, or anywhere else, you can find us! (Just search Women’s Healthcast, and while you’re at it, may as well subscribe!) 

Women’s Healthcast: Fourth Trimester: Postpartum Mental Health, featuring Ryan McDonald, MD

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.

Ryan McDonald, MD, clinical professor in the Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, joined the Women’s Healthcast to talk about postpartum depression and anxiety. He talked about postpartum mental health signs and symptoms, a variety of treatment and support options, and important resources for parents and families navigating postpartum depression or anxiety.

Listen to Fourth Trimester: Postpartum Mental Health now.

Women’s Healthcast: Fourth Trimester: Pregnancy Prevention, featuring Katie Sampene, MD

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.

Katie Sampene, MD, joined this episode to talk about pregnancy prevention in the fourth trimester. Sampene as an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the UW Department of Ob-Gyn. She discussed recommendations for spacing pregnancies, why people may want to consider a birth control method so quickly after giving birth, how different methods affect breast or chest feeding, and more.

Listen to Fourth Trimester: Pregnancy Prevention now.

Women's Healthcast: Fourth Trimester: Breastfeeding, featuring Molly Lepic, DO

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists calls the 12 weeks after giving birth the Fourth Trimester. Molly Lepic, DO, assistant professor in the Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, joined the Women’s Healthcast to discuss a common postpartum topic: breastfeeding.

Lepic talked about how breastfeeding works, common questions about nutrition, rest, and hydration, resources available to support people through the ups and downs of breastfeeding, and more.

Listen to Fourth Trimester: Breastfeeding now.

Women’s Healthcast: Fourth Trimester: Perineal Tears, featuring Jon Pennycuff, MD, MSPH

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists calls the 12 weeks after giving birth the Fourth Trimester. Jon Pennycuff, MD, MSPH, assistant professor in the Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, discussed a common aspect of postpartum recovery on the second episode of the Women’s Healthcast Fourth Trimester series: perineal tears.

Perineal tears, or perineal lacerations, are very common 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. Pennycuff talked about how they’re treated and what he wishes more people understood about them.

Listen to Fourth Trimester: Perineal Tears now.

Women’s Healthcast: Contraceptive Coercion, featuring Laura Swan, PhD, LCSW

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 reproductive coercion and why she thinks it’s important for patients as well as providers to understand reproductive coercion and autonomy.

Listen to Contraceptive Coercion now.

Did you know the Women’s Healthcast is available on all your favorite podcast platforms? Whether you like to listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podbean, or anywhere else, you can find us! (Just search Women’s Healthcast, and while you’re at it, may as well subscribe!)

Women’s Healthcast: Replay: Promoting Pelvic Floor Health, featuring Angie Sergeant, NP

The Women’s Healthcast replays an episode from 2020 in honor of November being Bladder Health Month. In this episode, Angie Sergeant, NP, for the UW Health Women’s Pelvic Wellness Clinic dives into the risk factors for pelvic floor disorders as well as physical therapy and other intervention options to help pelvic floor issues.

Listen to Promoting Pelvic Floor Health now.

Did you know the Women’s Healthcast is available on all your favorite podcast platforms? Whether you like to listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podbean, or anywhere else, you can find us! (Just search Women’s Healthcast, and while you’re at it, may as well subscribe!)

**by Paige Stevenson, Ob-Gyn Communications Intern

Women’s Healthcast: Health Equity Innovations, featuring Denise Howard, MD, MPH

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 & Gynecology at NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital and Vice Chair in the Weill Cornell Medicine Department of Ob-Gyn.

Dr. Howard discussed what she views as common causes of disparities in health care, why she frames the conversation around inequities in health care settings, and some of the most promising innovations in healthcare that could help reduce disparities.

Listen to “Health Equity Innovations” now.

Did you know the Women’s Healthcast is available on all your favorite podcast platforms? Whether you like to listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podbean, or anywhere else, you can find us! (Just search Women’s Healthcast, and while you’re at it, may as well subscribe!)

**by Paige Stevenson, Ob-Gyn Communications Intern

Women’s Healthcast: E-Visits for Contraception, featuring Eliza Bennett, MD, and Nicole Shapiro, NP, CNM

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.

Associate Professor Eliza Bennett, MD, and Nicole Shapiro, NP, CNM, both members of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, joined the Women’s Healthcast to talk about e-visits for birth control: how the process works, what kinds of birth control are available using this service, and why they launched an e-visit system for UW Health patients.

Listen to E-Visits for Contraception now.

Did you know the Women’s Healthcast is available on all your favorite podcast platforms? Whether you like to listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podbean, or anywhere else, you can find us! (Just search Women’s Healthcast, and while you’re at it, may as well subscribe!)

Women’s Heathcast: Palliative Care and Advance Care Planning, featuring Catherine Zhang, MD, MPH

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.

Catherine Zhang, MD, MPH, assistant professor in the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Gynecologic Oncology, joined the Women’s Healthcast during Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month 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.

Listen to Palliative Care and Advance Care Planning now.

Did you know the Women’s Healthcast is available on all your favorite podcast platforms? Whether you like to listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podbean, or anywhere else, you can find us! (Just search Women’s Healthcast, and while you’re at it, may as well subscribe!)

Women’s Healthcast: Perineal Tears: Cause and Recovery, featuring Jon Pennycuff, MD, MSPH

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.

Jon Pennycuff, MD, MSPH, assistant professor in the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, 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.

Listen to Perineal Tears: Cause and Recovery now.

Did you know the Women’s Healthcast is available on all your favorite podcast platforms? Whether you like to listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podbean, or anywhere else, you can find us! (Just search Women’s Healthcast, and while you’re at it, may as well subscribe!)

Women’s Healthcast: Over-the-Counter Birth Control, featuring Amy Domeyer-Klenske, MD

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.

Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn Director Amy Domeyer-Klenske, MD, joined the Women’s Healthcast share information about the progestin-only birth control that’s approved for over-the-counter use. She 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.

Listen to Over-the-Counter Birth Control now.

Did you know the Women’s Healthcast is available on all your favorite podcast platforms? Whether you like to listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podbean, or anywhere else, you can find us! (Just search Women’s Healthcast, and while you’re at it, may as well subscribe!)

Women’s Healthcast: What’s Next in Menopause Management?

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, Genevieve Neal-Perry, MD, PhD, 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.

Listen to What’s Next in Menopause Management? now.

Did you know the Women’s Healthcast is available on all your favorite podcast platforms? Whether you like to listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Podbean, or anywhere else, you can find us! (Just search Women’s Healthcast, and while you’re at it, may as well subscribe!)

Women’s Healthcast: Equity and Access in Fertility Care

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.

During National Infertility Awareness Week, the Women’s Healthcast focused on equity and access in the infertility world. In an interview, Dr. Kate Schoyer, a reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist in the Medical College of Wisconsin Department of Ob-Gyn, discussed 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.

In the second half of the episode, a Wisconsin couple – Karron and Brian – talked about how the financial realities of fertility care in the U.S. impacted their treatment journey.

Listen to Equity and Access in Fertility Care now!

Women’s Healthcast: Green discusses economic policy and health

Economic policy has a significant effect on our individual health. And policies are not always equitable.

Tiffany Green, PhD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Reproductive and Population Health, joined the Women's Healthcast to discuss ways systems and structures affect health: how health and economic security are cyclically linked, how COVID-19 has highlighted many structural inequities in our country, and important work she is doing in Dane County to improve Black maternal and infant health.

Listen to “Understanding the Economics of Health” now.

Women’s Healthcast: Yemane discusses transgender health care in ob-gyn settings

Ruth Yemane, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, is one of our department’s leading experts in gender affirming surgery and gynecologic care for transgender people.

On this episode, Yemane shares recommendations for safe, trust-filled patient-provider relationships, and what surgical, clinical and preventive health care can look like for trans and nonbinary people.

Listen to Trans Health and Ob-Gyn now!

Women’s Healthcast: Senderowicz discusses global reproductive health

Reproductive health care trends, norms and policies in the United States shape global reproductive health in a big way. UW Ob-Gyn Health Disparities Research Scholar Leigh Senderowicz, ScD, MPH joined the Women’s Healthcast to talk about the roots of international family planning programs, how to recognize reproductive coercion, and why we should pay attention to the way U.S. policies can affect individual health across the world.

Listen to Reproductive Health Worldwide now.

Women’s Healthcast: Effective Advocacy in Healthcare Settings, with Cheryl Casey’Grant

Preparing for a doctor’s visit can feel intimidating. How do we make sure all our questions are answered and our concerns are taken seriously? How many of us know how to be effective self-advocates in medical settings?

On this episode of the Women’s Healthcast, Cheryl Casey’Grant shares tips and resources to make sure we’re getting the best care. Cheryl is an outreach specialist in the UW Department of Ob-Gyn with more than 20 years of experience navigating complex systems in healthcare and human services settings.

Listen to Effective Advocacy in Healthcare Settings now.

Women’s Healthcast: Back to Basics: Contraception, featuring Dr. Ryan Luellwitz

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 the final Back to Basics episode of the Women’s Healthcast, guest experts Ryan Luellwitz, DO, assistant professor in the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, and Paula Cody, MD, MPH, associate professor in the UW SMPH Department of Pediatrics, 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.

Listen to Back to Basics: Pregnancy Prevention now.

Women’s Healthcast: Back to Basics: STIs and Safer Sex, featuring Ryan Luellwitz, DO

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 Ryan Luellwitz, DO, assistant professor in the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, and Paula Cody, MD, MPH, associate professor in the UW SMPH Department of Pediatrics, talk about safe sex, preventing or avoiding STIs, and how to find testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections.

Listen to Back to Basics: STIs and Safer Sex now!

Women’s Healthcast: Robotic-Assisted Surgery, featuring Laura Hanks, MD

On a recent episode of the Women’s Healthcast, Laura Hanks, MD, assistant professor in the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, discussed different ways surgery can be performed, with a focus on robotic-assisted surgery.

In the episode, Hanks talked about how robotic surgery works, what kinds of procedures in the ob-gyn world can and can’t be performed with this method, and how people can weigh the risks and benefits when deciding whether robotic-assisted surgery is right for them.

Listen to Robotic-Assisted Surgery now.

Women’s Healthcast: Surgical Sterilization, featuring Dr. Laura Hanks

Since the spring of 2022, ob-gyn clinics around the U.S. have reported an increase in questions about tubal ligation, also known as surgical sterilization or salpingectomy. On a recent episode of the Women’s Healthcast, Laura Hanks, MD, assistant professor in the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, talked about why those requests are up, and answered questions about surgical sterilization: what happens during the procedure, why people might be interested in permanent birth control, and how she helps patients make sure sterilization is right for them.

Listen to Surgical Sterilization now.

Women’s Healthcast: “Know Your STIs: Syphilis”, featuring Ryan Luellwitz, DO

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, rates of the sexually transmitted infection syphilis have been climbing across the country. In Wisconsin in particular, the state’s Department of Health Services recently recommended pregnant people be screened twice during pregnancy for syphilis, which can have significant affects on fetal health and development.

On this episode of the Women’s Healthcast, Ryan Luellwitz, DO, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn talks about signs and symptoms of syphilis, the importance of frequent testing for STIs, and how to lower your risk for encountering syphilis.

Listen to “Know Your STIs: Syphilis” now.

Women’s Healthcast: Back to Basics of Anatomy and Puberty, with Ryan Luellwitz and Paula Cody

The Women’s Healthcast, the UW Department of Ob-Gyn podcast, kicked off 2023 with a new series designed to 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.

Ryan Luellwitz, DO, assistant professor in the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, and Paula Cody, MD, MPH, associate professor in the UW SMPH Department of Pediatrics, are the guest experts in this series that brings 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.

On the first episode, they tackle the basics of anatomy and puberty: Why is it so important to learn and use correct anatomical terms when we are learning about bodies, development and sexual/reproductive health? When should children learn anatomically correct terms for body parts, and what are those parts? What is puberty, and when does it typically happen?

Listen to Back to Basics: Anatomy and Puberty now.

Women's Healthcast: Back to Basics: Menstrual Cycle and Periods with Ryan Luellwitz, DO and Paula Cody, MD, MPH

Guest experts Ryan Luellwitz, DO, assistant professor in the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, and Paula Cody, MD, MPH, associate professor in the UW SMPH Department of Pediatrics, 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, Luellwitz and 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.

Listen to Menstrual Cycle and Periods now!

Women’s Healtcast: Back to Basics: Period Products, featuring Ryan Luellwitz

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, Ryan Luellwitz, DO, assistant professor in the Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, and Paula Cody, MD, MPH, associate professor in the UW SMPH Department of Pediatrics, 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.

Listen to Back to Basics Bonus: Period Products now!

Women’s Healthcast: Back to Basics: Sex, Gender, Sexuality featuring Ryan Luellwitz, DO

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 Ryan Luellwitz, DO, assistant professor in the Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, and Paula Cody, MD, MPH, associate professor in the UW SMPH Department of Pediatrics, 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.

Listen to “Back to Basics: Sex, Gender, Sexuality” now!

Women’s Healthcast: Back to Basics: Consent and Bodily Autonomy, featuring Ryan Luellwitz, DO

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 Ryan Luellwitz, DO, assistant professor in the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, and Paula Cody, MD, MPH, associate professor in the UW SMPH Department of Pediatrics, 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.

Listen to Back to Basics: Consent and Bodily Autonomy now.

Women’s Healthcast: “Vasectomy: Asked and Answered” with David Paolone, MD

Over the last few months, Google searches about vasectomy – the procedure for male sterilization – have skyrocketed. David Paolone, MD joined the Women’s Healthcast to share the basics about vasectomy.

During the episode, he discussed what preparation and recovery for vasectomy look like, cleared up some common vasectomy myths, and talked about how he counsels patients to make sure the procedure is the right choice for them. Paolone is a professor and board-certified urologist in the UW School of Medicine and Public Health’s Department of Urology.

Listen to Vasectomy: Asked and Answered now!

Women’s Healthcast: Privacy, Security, and Cycle Tracking Apps, with Jenna Nobles, PhD

Lots of questions about menstrual tracking or cycle tracking apps popped up after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the constitutional right to an abortion in June 2022. Questions like: are these apps secure? Could data tracked in these apps be used to criminalize people who seek abortion care? Should people be concerned about using cycle tracking apps?

Jenna Nobles, PhD, professor of Sociology and Director of the Center for Demography and Ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, joined the Women’s Healthcast to talk about why people may be interested in using cycle tracking apps, how they work, common concerns around data security and safety, and how to evaluate whether using a cycle tracking app is the right choice for you.

Listen to Privacy, Security, and Cycle Tracking Apps now.

Women’s Healthcast: Choosing Lubricants and Vaginal Moisturizers, featuring Jon Pennycuff, MD, MSPH

Vaginal moisturizers, lubricants, and vaginal estrogen can be helpful tools for improving sexual wellbeing, but how many people are confident navigating the products and choosing the right ones for them?

Jon Pennycuff, MD, MSPH, assistant professor in the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, joined the Women’s Healthcast to discuss why people use vaginal moisturizers and lubricants, the variety of available products, and what to consider when choosing a moisturizer or lubricant. He also talked about vaginal estrogen as an option to address some issues like itching, dryness, and recurrent urinary tract infections.

Listen to “Choosing Lubricants and Vaginal Moisturizers” now!

Women’s Healthcast: The State of Abortion Rights in 2022, with Jenny Higgins, PhD

Sometime in the next few weeks, the United States Supreme Court will issue a decision in the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. Their decision in this case could have huge effects on abortion legality and abortion access across the country.

To share information about today’s landscape of abortion access in Wisconsin, what the Supreme Court decision could mean, and what the research tells us about how limitations to abortion can affect people’s health and wellbeing, Jenny Higgins, PhD, MPH spoke with the Women’s Healthcast. Higgins is the director of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Reproductive and Population Health and the UW Collaborative for Reproductive Equity.

Listen to The State of Abortion Rights in 2022 now.

Women’s Healthcast: Finding Out About Fibroids, featuring Bala Bhagavath, MD

Uterine fibroids are incredibly common – between 20 and 70 percent of people with uteruses will develop fibroids during their lifetimes. And while they’re often benign, they can still cause some troublesome symptoms.

Bala Bhagavath, MD joined the Women’s Healthcast to talk about common symptoms of uterine fibroids, the broad variety of treatment options, and whether all fibroids need to be treated. Bhagavath is the director of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility.h

Women's Healthcast: Dr. Jennifer Lincoln on health claims and social media

As health misinformation grows and spreads online, more and more doctors are spending time on social media breaking down health myths. On this episode of the Women’s Healthcast, we’re joined by physician, author, and social media star Dr. Jennifer Lincoln, MD, IBCLC.

When she’s not working as an ob-gyn in Oregon, Dr. Lincoln busts reproductive health myths for her millions of followers on Instagram and TikTok. Dr. Lincoln talks about what brought her to the social media space, why she thinks sexual and reproductive health misinformation flourishes online, and how we can critically evaluate health information we see on social media.

Listen to “Seems Sus: Health Claims and Social Media” now.

Women’s Healthcast: Healthy Pregnancy at Any Weight, featuring Katie Antony, MD

On the latest episode of the Women’s Healthcast, Katie Antony, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, discusses respectful, person-centered care, her recommendations for safe and healthy pregnancies at any weight, and concerns or considerations for pregnant people with overweight or obesity.

Listen to Healthy Pregnancy at Any Weight now!

Women’s Healthcast ranked as #2 OB-GYN podcast!

Since 2018, the UW Department of Ob-Gyn podcast the Women’s Healthcast has helped answer questions about issues and innovations in women’s health through interviews with guest experts in our department and beyond. The Women’s Healthcast is ranked the #2 ob-gyn podcast by FeedSpot, second only to the podcast produced by the Green Journal!

The UW Ob-Gyn podcast production team – host Jackie Askins and producer Rob Garza – would like to thank everyone who has shared their expertise on the podcast! Your compelling interviews on crucial health topics are the reason our podcast is so highly ranked and reviewed. At 77 episodes and nearly 100,000 downloads across dozens of countries, your work is having a global impact!

You can find and listen to the Women’s Healthcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Podbean, or wherever you like to get your podcasts.

Women’s Healthcast: Understanding Your Breast Health, with Laura Bozzuto

About one in eight U.S. women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we’re replaying this interview with Laura Bozzuto, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn. Bozzuto is double certified in ob-gyn and breast cancer surgery.

In the episode, Bozzuto talks about breast cancer symptoms, the latest in screening guidelines, and how to lower your breast cancer risk.

Listen to Understanding Your Breast Health now.

Did you know the Women’s Healthcast is available on all your favorite podcast platforms? Whether you like to listen on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, Podbean, or anywhere else, you can find us! (Just search Women’s Healthcast, and while you’re at it, may as well subscribe!)

Women’s Healthcast: Sexual Health and Cancer Survivorship, featuring Dr. Jon Pennycuff

As our ability to detect and treat cancer has improved, more people are living longer after their cancer diagnosis. For survivors of breast and gynecologic cancer, that can mean more time living with the side effects treatment can have on sexual and pelvic health.

On this episode of the Women’s Healthcast, Jon Pennycuff, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, talks about what these side effects can include, the variety of options to address sexual health concerns for cancer survivors, and what he wishes more people knew about the connection between cancer treatment and pelvic health.

Listen to “Sexual Health and Cancer Survivorship” now.

Women’s Healthcast: Cervical Cancer Prevention, Detection, Treatment

Cervical cancer is the third most common type of gynecologic cancer in the United States. On this replay episode of the Women’s Healthcast, Sumer Wallace, MD talks about what causes cervical cancer, how it’s treated, and why the HPV vaccine and regular screenings are important tools to help prevent cervical cancer. Wallace is an assistant professor in the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Gynecologic Oncology.

Listen to Cervical Cancer Prevention, Detection, Treatment now.

Women’s Healthcast: Beninati dispels COVID vaccine myths

Vaccines for COVID-19 became available in late 2020, and were immediately followed by a rash of myths and misinformation online. Many of the most pervasive myths – that the vaccine causes infertility, that it’s unsafe for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, that it can cause miscarriage – are specifically focused on women’s health and reproductive health.

Michael Beninati, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, joins this episode of the Women’s Healthcast to put a stop to some of the most dangerous misinformation, and talk about the research that shows why these myths just aren’t true.

Listen to “COVID Vaccines and Women’s Health Myths” now.

Women’s Healthcast: Paplomata talks about clinical trials

Elisavet Paplomata, MD came to the UW School of Medicine and Public Health and UW Carbone Cancer Center in 2020 to expand cancer clinical trials, including bringing more trials for gynecologic cancer patients to the UW. She joined the Women’s Healthcast to talk about why researchers do trials, why people might choose to enroll in them, safety precautions in place for trial participants, and what she’s doing to increase clinical trials available to patients at the UW Carbone Cancer Center.

Listen to “The Science of Clinical Trials” now.

Women’s Healthcast: Hartenbach discusses second opinions

Seeking a second opinion is fairly common, especially when facing a challenging diagnosis or intense treatment. On this episode of the Women’s Healthcast, Ellen Hartenbach, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Gynecologic Oncology, discusses why people ask for second opinions, what happens after a second opinion is given, and how to approach the conversation with your own health care team.

Listen to “When to Seek a Second Opinion” now.

Women’s Healthcast: Social media and health communications, with Kenan Omurtag

More and more, you can find doctors and other health care professionals talking about their expertise on social media, whether that’s answering questions on an Instagram Live, or adding a medical twist to the latest TikTok dance trend.

Kenan Omurtag, MD joined the Women's Healthcast to talk about why doctors and health professionals are increasingly moving to social platforms, and what the benefit is to health care consumers. Omurtag is a reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist in the Washington University at St. Louis Department of Ob-Gyn. You can find him on Instagram @drkenanomurtagmd.

Listen to the whole episode “The Doctor Will Tweet You Now” here.

Women’s Healthcast: Emergency Contraception, featuring Molly Lepic

Discussions around emergency contraception often include some myths and misunderstandings. Even the nickname of the morning-after pill gives us an inaccurate sense of emergency contraception’s effective timeframe.

Molly Lepic, DO, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, joined the Women’s Healthcast to help clear up some common questions about emergency contraception, including when to use it, how it works, what types are available, and where people can find emergency contraception when they need it:

“It’s definitely something that is beneficial to patients, and we know that ready access to emergency contraception’s do not lead to more unprotected intercourse or less contraceptive use. It does not increase the risk of unintended pregnancy, and so it’s important for patients and providers to discuss this as a form of contraception, regardless of what their contraceptive plans are.”

Listen to the whole episode “Emergency Contraception” here.

Women’s Healthcast: Jacques talks Vulvar Health, Care and Cleaning

On the latest episode of the UW Ob-Gyn podcast, Laura Jacques, MD, of the Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, discussed vulvar health, care and cleaning. She talked about how to care for vulvas and vaginas, what products are safe to use, how vulvar health can change with age, and more.

Listen to Vulvar Health, Care and Cleaning now!

Women’s Healthcast: Iruretagoyena talks “Pregnancy, Vaccines and COVID-19”

Our understanding of how COVID-19 and pregnancy interact has evolved quite a bit over the course of 2020. On this episode of the Women’s Healthcast, UW Ob-Gyn Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine Director Igor Iruretagoyena, MD discusses COVID and pregnancy – whether pregnant people are at higher risk of severe illness with COVID, if pregnant people are eligible for vaccination, and other things to think about if you’re considering pregnancy during a pandemic.

Listen to “Pregnancy, Vaccines and COVID-19” now.

Women’s Healthcast: Sergeant talks PT, pessaries, and more

In honor of Bladder Health Month, Angie Sergeant, NP, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, joined the Women's Healthcast to talk about common pelvic floor questions. In the episode, Sergeant discussed risk factors for pelvic floor disorders, pelvic floor physical therapy and other interventions, and what visits to the UW Health Women's Pelvic Wellness Clinic look like.

Listen to Promoting Pelvic Floor Health: PT, Pessaries and More now.

If you'd like to be a guest on the Women's Healthcast, contact Jackie Askins with a brief topic pitch - what women's health issue or part of your job do you wish people knew more about?

Women’s Healthcast: Brown discusses strengthening health literacy

Health literacy – how well we can find, understand, and apply information to help us make health decisions – affects many areas of our lives.

On the Women’s Healthcast, Heidi Brown, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, talked about where to find accurate health information, resources for building health literacy skills, and how low health literacy exacerbates preexisting health disparities. The episode also featured Jordan Spencer, medical student at the University of Arkansas.

Listen to “Strengthening Your Health Literacy” now.