MedCity FemFwd
Marissa Plescia
MedCity FemFwd podcast, hosted by reporter Marissa Plescia, explores the historical neglect of women's health and how this is gradually changing. The host emphasizes that, until as late as 1993, women were largely excluded from clinical research, and funding for women's health has been consistently inadequate. Plescia indicates that this is shifting, as a growing number of startups are focusing on areas such as female fertility, menopause, and heart health. Despite ongoing legislative action restricting abortion access in certain states, the podcast highlights an important counter-trend: more employers are providing support for women's reproductive health. The series aims to further unpack these developments by interviewing leaders in the women's health space, helping listeners understand the issues women face in navigating a healthcare system that has often been unresponsive to their needs.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Feb 28, 2025 • 25min
Why infertility isn't just a women's issue with Pam Pure and Khaled Kteily - Episode 18
Pam Pure is the co-founder and CEO of Posterity Health, specializing in male reproductive care, while Khaled Kteily is the founder of Legacy, offering innovative mail-in sperm testing solutions. Together, they challenge the misconception that infertility is solely a women’s issue, revealing that male factors contribute to over half of infertility cases. They advocate for increased awareness and open discussions around male fertility, emphasize the importance of early testing, and explore advancements in IVF treatments that support both partners on their journey to parenthood.
Jan 31, 2025 • 11min
Comparing maternal health in employer-sponsored populations vs. Medicaid with Emily Lindemer - Episode 17
Emily Lindemer, Executive Director of Data and Healthcare Innovation at Morgan Health, shares her insights on maternal health disparities. She discusses a report that contrasts outcomes in employer-sponsored insurance with those on Medicaid. The conversation highlights the financial burden of childbirth and the lack of support services like doulas. Lindemer calls for innovation to address higher unnecessary C-sections among privately insured women and shares key recommendations for employers to improve care quality, especially for diverse communities.
Dec 29, 2024 • 16min
What the future holds for women's health in 2025 with Kathryn Schubert - Episode 16
I interviewed Kathryn Schubert, president and CEO of the Society for Women's Health Research, about the women's health trends that defined 2024 and what the healthcare industry can expect in 2025. Episode Resources Connect with Marissa Plescia mplescia@medcitynews.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissaplescia/ Connect with Kathryn Schubert https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathryn-godburn-schubert-07352a7/
Nov 26, 2024 • 19min
How Celmatix is using ARPA-H's Sprint for Women's Health funding with Dr. Piraye Yurttas Beim - Episode 15
In this episode, I interviewed Dr. Piraye Yurttas Beim, founder and CEO of Celmatix, one of the recipients of ARPA-H's Sprint for Women's Health program. Episode Resources Connect with Marissa Plescia mplescia@medcitynews.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissaplescia/ Connect with Dr. Piraye Yurttas Beim https://www.celmatix.com/our-team https://www.linkedin.com/in/pirayebeim/
Oct 29, 2024 • 13min
How Doulas Can Improve Maternal Health Outcomes with Dr. Tiffany Inglis - Episode 14
I interviewed Dr. Tiffany Inglis, national medical director for women and children's health at Carelon Health, a subsidiary of Elevance Health. We discussed Elevance's new paper on doulas. Episode Resources Connect with Marissa Plescia mplescia@medcitynews.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissaplescia/ Connect with Dr. Tiffany Inglis https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffany-davis-inglis-md-b2b01183/
Oct 3, 2024 • 17min
Addressing the maternal health crisis with Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell - Episode 13
In this episode, I interviewed Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell, a practicing physician and founder of Beyond Clinical Walls. We discussed how the maternal health crisis goes beyond access, and ways the healthcare industry can improve maternal health disparities. Episode Resources Connect with Marissa Plescia mplescia@medcitynews.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissaplescia/ Connect with Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchel https://www.linkedin.com/in/drbcw/
Sep 4, 2024 • 16min
Inside WHAM & KPMG's women's health partnership with Carolee Lee and Ash Shehata - Episode 12
In this episode, I interviewed Carolee Lee, CEO and founder of WHAM, and Ash Shehata, KPMG U.S. sector leader for healthcare. We spoke about the two organizations' new women's health partnership. Episode Resources Connect with Marissa Plescia mplescia@medcitynews.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissaplescia/ Connect with Carolee Lee and Ash Shehata carolee@whamnow.org ashehata@kpmg.com
Jul 29, 2024 • 11min
The lack of research on chronic conditions affecting women with Stacey Missmer - Episode 11
I interviewed Stacey Missmer, professor and associate chair for epidemiology and translational research at the University of Michigan. We talked about a new report she co-authored that calls on the NIH to improve research efforts on chronic conditions affecting women. Episode Resources Connect with Marissa Plescia mplescia@medcitynews.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissaplescia/ Connect with Stacey Missmer https://obgyn.msu.edu/research/research-faculty/stacey-missmer-sc-d
Jul 7, 2024 • 14min
The Supreme Court's decision on mifepristone with Rabia Muqaddam - Episode 10
In this episode, I interviewed Rabia Muqaddam, senior staff attorney of the Center for Reproductive Rights. We talked about the Supreme Court's recent decision that preserved access to the abortion pill mifepristone. Episode Resources Connect with Marissa Plescia mplescia@medcitynews.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissaplescia/ Connect with Rabia Muqaddam rmuqaddam@reprorights.org https://reproductiverights.org/profile/rabia-muqaddam/
May 29, 2024 • 12min
How employers can improve maternal health outcomes with Randa Deaton - Episode 9
I interviewed Randa Deaton, vice president of purchaser engagement at Purchaser Business Group on Health. We talked about the organization's new resource that aims to help employers improve maternal health outcomes. Episode Resources Connect with Marissa Plescia mplescia@medcitynews.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissaplescia/ Connect with Randa Deaton https://www.pbgh.org/ https://www.pbgh.org/staff/randa-deaton/
