Period products fall into two groups: those that catch blood outside the body, like pads and period underwear, and those that collect it inside, like tampons, menstrual cups, and discs. None is medically better than the others. The right choice depends on how heavy your flow is, what you do during the day, how your…
DetailsPainful sex, known medically as dyspareunia, is pain in the vulva, vagina, or deep in the pelvis that happens before, during, or after intercourse. It is one of the most common concerns women bring to a gynecologist, and one of the least talked about. The pain can be sharp, burning, aching, or cramping, and it…
DetailsHeartburn during pregnancy is a burning feeling in the chest or throat caused by stomach acid backing up into the esophagus. It is one of the most common complaints of pregnancy, affecting well over half of expecting mothers, and it tends to get worse as the months go on. Pregnancy heartburn is not harmful to…
DetailsThe pelvic floor is a hammock of muscle and connective tissue that stretches from your pubic bone to your tailbone. It holds up the bladder, uterus, and rectum, controls when you urinate and pass stool, and plays a big role in sexual sensation. When the pelvic floor weakens, it cannot perform those functions as well.…
DetailsPregnancy asks more of your cardiovascular system than it will at almost any other time in your life. Your blood volume rises sharply to supply the placenta, your heart pumps more blood with every beat, and your blood vessels relax to keep pressure steady. Those changes begin in the first trimester and peak in the…
DetailsA prenatal vitamin is a daily supplement designed to deliver the nutrients you need most when pregnant, in amounts that are hard to reach from food alone. It is a safety net for the handful of nutrients where even a good diet tends to fall short: folate, iron, DHA, calcium, vitamin D, and choline. The…
DetailsPregnancy vaccines are a small set of shots that protect two people at once. You make antibodies in response to each vaccine, and those antibodies cross the placenta to inoculate your baby. Newborns cannot get most vaccines for weeks to months, so what you pass along covers that gap. In 2026, four vaccines are part…
DetailsPregnancy weight gain is the expected, healthy increase in body weight that supports a growing baby. It is not extra fat to be shed. Most of it is the baby, the placenta, amniotic fluid, a larger uterus and breasts, and a big jump in blood volume. How much you should gain depends mostly on where…
DetailsA mammogram is a low-dose X-ray of the breast used to find cancer before it can be felt. Screening mammograms are done on a regular schedule for women with no symptoms, and they are the most effective tool we have for catching breast cancer early, when treatment is simplest and survival is highest. The confusion…
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