Community Talks

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology is pleased to present Healthy Women Community Talks. This free community education series is dedicated to helping all women stay healthy throughout their lives. Healthy Women Community Talks provide an opportunity for the public to hear from clinicians, scientists, and other women’s health experts about the latest research, trends, and treatment options. Questions and discussion are highly encouraged. Talks are held in various accessible, public locations in the Madison area. Most can be attended in-person or via webinar. 

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2025 Healthy Women Community Talks

Your Health After Pregnancy

The weeks after giving birth are a busy time, full of physical and emotional changes. It can be hard to focus on your own health after bringing home a new baby. But caring for your body and mind after birth is incredibly important.

January 23, 2025 is Maternal Health Awareness Day. Join us at 6:00pm that day for a Healthy Women Community Talk featuring experts from the UW Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology who will answer your questions about physical recovery, postpartum mental health, breastfeeding, and so much more. Join us in person at Goodman Community Center or online via Zoom to talk about your options for postpartum care and how to prioritize your health!

Dr. Ryan McDonald will talk about signs and symptoms of postpartum depression and anxiety, treatment and support options, and important resources for people and families navigating postpartum mental health issues. 

Dr. Katherine Sampene will talk about recommendations for spacing pregnancies, why people may want to have a plan for birth control after giving birth, and how different methods affect breast or chest feeding.

Dr. Jackie Adams will talk about physical recovery after birth, the importance of postpartum health visits, and what to know about how pregnancy can affect your health long-term.

Community Health Workers from the UW Health ConnectRx program will share resources available in our community to support your postpartum health.

Past Healthy Women Community Talks

Break Free from Pelvic Floor Disorders 2024 (video)
Featuring UW Health Urogynecologists and allied Pelvic Floor Physical Therapists

Care Down There: What Everyone Needs to Know about Vulvar Health and Hygiene (video)
Featuring Laura Jacques, MD, Apple Bodemer, MD, Christine Heisler, MD, MS

Break Free from Pelvic Floor Disorders (video)
Featuring UW Health Urogynecologists and allied Pelvic Floor Physical Therapists

Straight Talk: Chemical Hair Straighteners and Reducing Your Risk for Uterine Cancer (video)
Featuring Gynecologic Oncology Physician Janelle Sobecki, MD, and National Institutes of Health Researcher Che-Jung Chang, PhD

Navigating Your Fertility Journey (video)
Featuring Bala Bhagavath, MD, and Julianne Zweifel, PhD, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility

Sex After Cancer: A Candid Discussion (video)
Featuring Gynecologic Oncology Physician Janelle Sobecki, MD

High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy and Beyond (video)
Featuring Maternal-Fetal Medicine Physician Kara Hoppe, DO, MS

Break Free from Pelvic Floor Disorders (video)
Featuring UW Health Urogynecologists and allied Pelvic Floor Physical Therapists

Break Free from Pelvic Floor Disorders, visit the event page (video)
Featuring UW Health Urogynecologists and allied Pelvic Floor Physical Therapists

Hereditary Ovarian Cancer Syndromes (video)
Featuring UW Health gynecologic oncologist Lisa Barroilhet, MD

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: The Myths and the Facts (video)
Featuring UW Health reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist Laura Cooney, MD

Tackling the Taboo: Let’s Talk about Accidental Bowel Leakage (video)
Featuring UW Health Urogynecologist Heidi Brown, MD

Zika and Pregnancy: The Latest Insights (video)
Featuring UW Health maternal-fetal medicine specialist Kathleen Antony, MD 

Women’s Sexual Health and Cancer, Featuring UW Health Women’s Integrative Sexual Health (WISH) program clinicians
Presented in partnership with Gilda’s Club of Madison

Bladder Control: A Common and Treatable Concern for Women (video)
Featuring UW Health Urogynecologist Christine Heisler, MD

Hot Flash or Power Surge: What Every Woman Needs To Know About Menopause (video)
Featuring UW Health Ob-Gyn and Certified Menopause Practitioner Makeba Williams, MD

Our Kids Need the HPV Vaccine (video: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4)
Featuring UW Health Ob-Gyn Sarah Bradley, MD, Pediatrician Lindsey Geier, MD, and Head and Neck Surgical Oncologist Aaron Wieland, MD

Innovations in Birth Control 
Featuring UW Health Ob-Gyn Eliza Bennett, MD, and Gynecologic Oncologist Laurel Rice, MD

Support Healthy Women Community Talks

Healthy Women Community Talks are supported by our Healthy Women, Healthy Babies Fund. Learn how you can support women’s health through the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.