Exploring the Phases of the Menstrual Cycle

Episode #313. Is your menstrual cycle normal? How is the pill affecting your body? Join me as I sit down with Dr Jen Gunter, a renowned expert in women's health, to answer these questions and many more as we take a deep dive into contraception, the menstrual cycle, and common female health myths.

You’ll learn about the key phases of the menstrual cycle and the associated symptoms, discover how different forms of hormonal contraception work and whether they’re safe, debunk a series of pervasive female health myths, and much more. Whether you personally menstruate or use contraceptives or know someone who does – effectively everyone – this episode is an essential listen on female health.

Specifically, we discuss:

• Intro (00:00)
• The Impact of Disinformation on Women's Health Choices (01:17)
• Exploring Gaps in Medical Research on Female Physiology (07:17)
• Navigating Misinformation and Vulnerability in Women's Health (15:52)
• The Importance of the Menstrual Cycle: A Comprehensive Overview (17:44)
• Inclusivity and Language in Medical and Social Contexts (33:12)
• The Phases of the Menstrual Cycle: A Detailed Explanation (41:02)
• Female Physiology: Mechanism and Function of Menstruation (50:25)
• COVID Vaccines: Effects on Menstrual Cycles and Fertility (01:01:55)
• Menstrual Myths Debunked: Separating Fact from Fiction (01:06:00)
• Managing Menstrual Symptoms and Pain: Expert Advice (01:13:45)
• Hormonal Health Myths: Dutch Test, Birth Control Pill, and Diet (01:39:33)
• Osteoporosis and Birth Control Pills: Is There a Connection? (01:46:26)
• Birth Control and Cancer Risk: Examining the Evidence (01:51:25)
• Birth Control Pills and Acne (01:57:30)
• Menstrual Cycle: Detoxification and Birth Control's Impact on Maturation (02:02:03)
• Emergency Contraception Options: Plan B and Ella (02:08:48)
• Abortion: Laws, Misconceptions, and Future Implications (02:30:03)
• Final Thoughts and Empowering Women in Health Choices (02:45:56)

Connect with Dr Jen Gunter on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. Order her new book, Blood: the Science, Medicine and Mythology of Menstruation, here. For even more comprehensive information, you can read Dr Gunter’s other books, The Vagina Bible and The Menopause Manifesto. Head to her blog, https://vajenda.substack.com/, for frequent newsletters and articles.

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Simon Hill, MSc, BSc (Hons)

Creator of theproof.com and host of The Proof with Simon Hill

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