Articles about You're 36-45

Who wants to do something they don’t enjoy? Especially when it comes to sex. Ideally, sex feels more than enjoyable…like, downright pleasurable. But with so many stigmas, expectations and misinformation about how it should feel, getting there physically and mentally can feel like an impossible-to-reach standard. And typically, your healthcare provider may be the last…

Vaginas are remarkable. Not only because of everything they do, but because of everything they contain! For instance, the vaginal microbiome is FULL of bacteria! And that’s a good thing. Did you know vaginas clean themselves? This is low-key amazing. And while we all carry yeast in and on our bodies, it usually exists in…

Much of the reported data on postpartum depression focuses on cisgender women who identify as “moms”–but we recognize that not all postpartum parents fit into that category. It’s only quite recently that postpartum depression is more frequently part of the pregnancy conversation, after so many generations of the condition existing largely in secret. Still, it…

A big part of vaginal health is annual wellness exams with your gynecologist and regularly scheduled Pap smears. Daily speaking, vulva hygiene is in your hands. First, some clarification on which part of the body we’re talking about. Although the whole genital region of people assigned female at birth is commonly referred to as the…

Removing the fallopian tubes—the curved ducts that connect the ovaries to the uterus to transport the egg—is now recommended in certain situations to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer. In the past, if someone was having a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) for reasons other than cancer (such as abnormal bleeding, pain, fibroids, prolapse, etc.),…

Painful periods (dysmenorrhea) can be very disruptive to a person’s physical and emotional wellbeing. Those who suffer from painful periods may miss work, school and family activities and also can feel unsupported during the experience. Painful periods can begin with the onset of the menstrual cycles in puberty but may arise at any time during…

One of the most common reasons for visits to the gynecologist is abnormal menstrual bleeding. And while you might be in good company with 10 million people affected by abnormal bleeding each year–it’s definitely not a party. Typically, abnormal bleeding most often occurs during two big life stages: when a person starts having a period…

Depending on your age, you might equate annual wellness visits to the gynecologist with getting a Pap test (or Pap smear, as they used to be known). This is a common and effective test that is used to screen for cervical cancer and precancerous changes to the cervix. Also depending on your age, you may…

Okay, so we have periods. Whether you refer to it as a “visit from Aunt Flow,” “that time of the month,” or one of the less polite euphemisms…they happen. The medical term for a period is menses, which is the Latin word for “months.” Many of us assume that a period happens monthly, but throughout…