Season 4
The origin story of estrogen therapy, with Alison Li
What are the origins of HRT and estrogen therapy? Historian Alison Li takes us back to 1930s Canada, and the ‘endocrine gold rush’, when estrogen was extracted from hogs, then human placentas, and finally horses - to create the drug Premarin (the name comes from PREgnant MAre urINE). The making and ...
The dark history of the Dalkon Shield IUD, with Chikako Takeshita
The IUD - intrauterine device - is a contraceptive method that was originally created to be a tool for population control.
Surviving a ‘widowmaker’ heart attack, with Carolyn Thomas
Carolyn Thomas was having a heart attack when an emergency room doctor diagnosed her with acid reflux and sent her home.
What is Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder? with author Shalene Gupta
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, or PMDD is a little-known and under-researched condition - a severe form of PMS.
The migraine diaries, with Sally Herships
Why is the connection between hormones and migraines so poorly understood in women?
Breast self-exams and battling insurance: Jessica Baladad's survival story
When Jessica Baladad found a cancerous lump in her breast at 33 through a self-exam, it set her on a path not just to survive cancer but to become an advocate for women's health.
What is cancer survivorship, with Teresa Arthur
What does it mean to survive a diagnosis, and live with cancer?
The lethal disparity in endometrial cancer for Black women, with Dr Kemi Doll
Black women are less likely to survive endometrial cancer, which is one of the few gynecologic cancers whose mortality rate is increasing.