Articles about You're 46-55

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…

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…

Overactive bladder is the name given to symptoms of urinary urgency (the sudden overwhelming urge to urinate that feels like you may not be able to control it), urinary frequency (when you feel like you have to go all the time) and/or urinary urge incontinence (the sudden overwhelming urge to urinate that results in uncontrollable…

There are more choices for contraception now than ever before. And every option has different benefits, risks and levels of effectiveness. There are options for non-hormonal birth control, long-acting reversible birth control like IUDs and permanent birth control, too. Plus, plenty of birth control myths. Hormonal birth control methods prevent pregnancy by releasing hormones into…

Every flu season, people question whether getting the flu vaccine is truly necessary, or even safe. It’s common to think the vaccine causes side effects or the flu itself (it doesn’t!). Or assume repeated vaccination doesn’t do all that much. Some lucky few may think they’ve never had the flu before, so the vaccine isn’t…