Uterine fibroids are incredibly common – between 20 and 70 percent of people with uteruses will develop fibroids during their lifetimes. And while these growths typically aren’t dangerous, they can still cause some issues.

Since July is Fibroids Awareness Month, we are replaying an interview from 2022 with Dr. Bala Bhagavath. He’s a reproductive endocrinologist and reproductive surgeon. In this interview, he talks about common symptoms of uterine fibroids, the broad variety of treatment options, and whether all fibroids need to be treated.

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Chlamydia and gonorrhea are two of the most common sexually transmitted infections, or STIs, in the United States. For Wisconsin in particular, rates of both diseases are on the rise.

Dr. Jess Dalby joined this episode of the Women’s Healthcast to talk about the signs and symptoms of chlamydia and gonorrhea, the risks of untreated disease, and how to get tested and treated for common STIs. She also talked about a recent study that found chlamydia and gonorrhea are increasing in Wisconsin, and what’s behind the rising rates.

Dr. Dalby is an associate professor in the UW School of Medicine and Public Health Department of Family Medicine and Community Health. She is also a medical consultant on sexually transmitted infections for the City of Milwaukee Health Department.

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For many young people, the idea of starting to get a period is at least a little bit stressful.

Dr. Katie O’Brien, a pediatric and adolescent gynecologist in the UW Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, helps kids and families in her clinic feel more prepared for periods. She joined this episode of the Women’s Healthcast to talk about what periods are, how to choose the right period products for you, when to get help for heavy or painful periods, and more.

Resources shared by Dr. O'Brien:

Welcome to Your Period! - by Yumi Stynes and Dr. Melissa Kang

Scarleteen.com

Your Changing Body - KidsHealth.org

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In August 2024, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released updated recommendations for pain management during intrauterine device placement.

Dr. Molly Lepic and Dr. Abigail Cutler joined this episode of the Women’s Healthcast to tell us more about what these recommendations mean for patients, and why pain management during IUD placement is such a hot topic.

Dr. Lepic and Dr. Cutler are both obstetrician-gynecologists in the UW Department of Ob-Gyn. They talked about the different types of IUDs, how getting an IUD works, why pain or discomfort during the procedure can be an important consideration for many patients, and what today’s pain management options look like.

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Incidence and mortality rates for endometrial cancer within the United States are on the rise. We also see a significant disparity in survival rates for endometrial cancer between Black and white patients in the U.S.

Charlotte Gamble joined this episode of the Women's Healthcast to discuss disparities in treating and diagnosing endometrial cancer. Dr. Gamble is an attending surgeon in gynecologic oncology at the Washington Cancer Institute at the MedStar Washington Hospital Center, which is part of Georgetown University. She discussed the disparities seen at every stage of cancer, from diagnosis through treatment. She also talked about what needs to change to make sure all patients have equitable access to cancer care.

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Pelvic floor physical therapy is a common treatment option that can be immensely helpful for people experiencing pelvic floor issues like incontinence or prolapse. But some patients may be reluctant to consider pelvic floor PT, or unsure about how it works.

Sari Archer and Carrie Schwoerer joined this episode of the Women’s Healthcast to tell us more about pelvic floor disorders, how physical therapy can help, what the process is like, and where physical therapy fits under the broader umbrella of treatment options for pelvic floor issues. Sari Archer is a nurse practitioner in the UW Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology’s Division of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery. Carrie Schwoerer is a physical therapist and rehabilitation manager with UW Health.

If you’d like to learn even more about pelvic floor disorders and treatment options, please join us on September 30, 2024, for a Healthy Women Community Talk featuring even more experts in pelvic health! https://www.obgyn.wisc.edu/community-talks

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As part of the Women’s Healthcast series about the fourth trimester, we’ve talked about physical recovery, breastfeeding, birth control after pregnancy, postpartum mental health, and long-term health concerns after birth.

For the final episode in this series, Dr. Tiffany Green talked about inequities in postpartum health and policies that impact peoples’ ability to recover after giving birth.

Dr. Green is an associate professor in the University of Wisconsin–Madison Department of Population Health Sciences and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She talked about common barriers to postpartum health, and policy changes that could make big changes in support for families.

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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 joined the Women’s Healthcast to talk about blood pressure and cardiovascular concerns during and after pregnancy. Dr. Kara Hoppe 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.

Resources:

Treating chronic hypertension in early pregnancy benefits parents, babies – National Institutes of Health

Life’s Essential Eight - American Heart Association

Staying Healthy After Childbirth – UW Department of Ob-Gyn

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