Vasectomy: Asked and Answered

Over the last few months, Google searches about vasectomy – the procedure for male sterilization – have skyrocketed. Dr. David Paolone joined the Women's Healthcast to tell us more about how vasectomy works. 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.

Dr. Paolone is a board-certified urologist in the UW School of Medicine and Public Health’s Department of Urology.

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Privacy, Security, and Cycle Tracking Apps

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?

Dr. Jenna Nobles 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.

Dr. Nobles is a professor of Sociology and Director of the Center for Demography and Ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

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Choosing Lubricants and Vaginal Moisturizers

Vaginal moisturizers, lubricants, and vaginal estrogen can be helpful tools for improving sexual wellbeing, but how many of us know how to choose the right ones? Dr. Jon Pennycuff joined the Women’s Healthcast to discuss why people use vaginal moisturizers and lubricants, the variety of available products, and what we should 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.

Dr. Pennycuff is an assistant professor in the UW-Madison Department of Ob-Gyn’s Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery.

RESOURCES:

A Woman’s Touch Sexuality Resource Center: https://sexualityresources.com

Vulvovaginal Atrophy resources (UW-Madison Department of Family Medicine and Community Health): https://www.fammed.wisc.edu/vulvovaginal-atrophy/  

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The State of Abortion Rights in 2022

We’re releasing this episode on June 1, 2022, and 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.

Dr. Jenny Higgins joined the Women's Healthcast to talk about today’s landscape of abortion access in Wisconsin, what the Supreme Court decision could mean for access in our state and beyond, and what the research tells us about how limitations to abortion can affect people’s health and wellbeing.

Dr. Higgins is the director of the UW Collaborative for Reproductive Equity and the UW Department of Ob-Gyn's Division of Reproductive and Population Health.

Resources mentioned by Dr. Higgins:

Abortion Finder: https://www.abortionfinder.org

Aid Access: https://aidaccess.org/en/

Center for Reproductive Rights: https://reproductiverights.org

Guttmacher Institute: https://www.guttmacher.org

If/When/How Legal Helpline: https://www.reprolegalhelpline.org

M+A Hotline: https://www.mahotline.org

National Network of Abortion Funds: https://abortionfunds.org

Plan C: https://www.plancpills.org

Planned Parenthood: https://www.plannedparenthood.org

Safe and Supported in the U.S.: https://abortionpillinfo.org

UW Collaborative for Reproductive Equity: https://core.wisc.edu

Follow the UW Collaborative for Reproductive Equity on social media!

https://twitter.com/WiscCORE

https://www.instagram.com/wisccore/

https://www.facebook.com/WiscCORE/

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Finding Out About Fibroids

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.

Dr. Bala Bhagavath 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.

Dr. Bhagavath is the director of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility.

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Effective Advocacy in Healthcare Settings

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.

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Seems Sus: 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.

When she’s not working as an ob-gyn in Oregon, Dr. Lincoln busts reproductive health myths for her millions of followers. 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.

You can find Dr. Lincoln on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjenniferlincoln/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drjenniferlincoln?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXLo8y5FKb-7_bJWeRMy5-Q

Learn more about Dr. Lincoln’s book, “Let’s Talk About Down There”, and more on her website: https://www.drjenniferlincoln.com

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Healthy Pregnancy at Any Weight

On this episode, Dr. Katie Antony joins us to talk about some of the concerns or considerations for pregnant people with overweight or obesity, and how to have a healthy, safe pregnancy at any weight.

Dr. Antony is a maternal-fetal medicine physician in the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Ob-Gyn, and recently earned her board certification in obesity medicine.

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Know Your STIs: Syphilis

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 Dr. Ryan Luellwitz joins us to talk about signs and symptoms of syphilis, the importance of frequent testing for STIs, and how to lower your risk for encountering syphilis. Dr. Luellwitz is an obstetrician-gynecologist in the UW-Madison Department of Ob-Gyn.

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Sexual Health and Cancer Survivorship

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, Dr. Jon Pennycuff 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. Dr. Pennycuff is a fellowship-trained physician in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery.

Dr. Pennycuff recommends these resources for people with questions about sexual and pelvic health side effects after cancer treatment:

VoicesforPFD.org

UW Health Women's Integrative Sexual Health Program (Madison, WI)

A Woman's Toucn (Madison, WI)

American Society of Clinical Oncologists Breast Cancer Survivorship

International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health

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