Women's Health

  Women's life stages are based on the reproductive cycle, beginning with menstruation and continuing through menopause. To understand these stages, start with the biology. When menstruation begins during puberty, an egg is released from the ovary during ovulation each month. It travels down the fallopian tube, where it might be fertilized by a sperm. If fertilized, it implants in the lining of the uterus, and pregnancy begins. If not, the egg and lining are shed during menstruation. This continues until perimenopause — the time when your body begins the transition to menopause. Specific symptoms often mark different life stages in women. Those symptoms may include menstrual cramps, menstrual bleeding, mood swings, hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain and sexual changes, among others.  Learn how healthy lifestyle choices can help you feel your best at any stage. Understand your birth control options, hormonal therapy options and what measures can be taken to improve your qua...

  Surgical menopause is caused by the removal of the ovaries — and it can have lasting health impacts beyond just your reproductive system Helen Kemp had a complicated gynecological history. When she was 41 years old, endometriosis, ovarian cysts and fibroids led to the surgical removal of her uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries. She was completely unprepared for what she would go through after surgery, as she went into early menopause. “Immediately after surgery, hot flashes kicked in, coupled with insomnia, anxiety and mood swings,” she recalled. “In the following weeks and months, I started to experience panic attacks and daily bouts of nausea and morning sickness.” Even now, nine years later, she said, “I can still be stopped in my tracks by a crushing fatigue, which seems to be a common legacy of going through a surgical menopause.” In one word, Kemp describes her experience as “brutal.” What is medically induced menopause? Medically induced menopause refers to the e...

  Don't worry, they are treatable. There’s no question that vaginal pain sucks—it makes your life more complicated than it has to be (think: having sex, going to the bathroom) and instantly sends you into a panic spiral, wondering,  Why does my vagina hurt? TBH, the potential reason behind your discomfort runs the gamut, from something as simple as a yeast infection or STI to endometriosis. The first step to finding out exactly what is bothering you is to pinpoint where that pain is coming from. "Some women describe the area down below as their vagina," explains Melissa A. Simon, MD, the George H. Gardner professor of clinical gynecology at Northwestern University. In reality, you could be feeling it in your vulva, uterus, or pelvic or abdominal region. Depending on the location, you could be experiencing a different condition. But what if you’re not sure where your discomfort is coming from? "Keep a pain journal, so you can better characterize the pain to your healt...