Department of
Obstetrics and Gynecology

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-Pe... more

​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 ... more

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 ... more

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 prof... more

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 o... more

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 ... more

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. O... more

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.Guest experts Ryan Luellwitz, DO, assistant professor in t... more

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 D... more

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 questi... more

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 t... more

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 mak... more

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, pr... more

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 peop... more

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,... more

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 fibro... more

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 special... more

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... more

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!Did you know the Wom... more

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 ... more

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 epi... more

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... more

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... more

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 ... more

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 Beni... more

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... more

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 p... more

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... more

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 a... more

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 platfor... more

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 emergenc... more

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! Did you know the Women’s Healthca... more

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 vaccinati... 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 Wome... more

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 ho... more

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 ... more