Podcasts about LEEP

Howard Herrell and Antonia Roberts explore evidence-based practices in obstetrics and gynecology, examining both established protocols and emerging research with critical perspectives on medical misinformation.• Serial cervical length monitoring after LEEP procedures lacks evidence for improving outcomes despite being common practice• SMFM's 2016 recommendation explicitly advises against routine cervical length screening for patients with history of cervical procedures• Retrospective studies on induction timing require careful interpretation due to inherent biases in methodology• Understanding the difference between intent-to-treat and per-protocol analysis is crucial when evaluating medical research• Pseudoscience and alternative medicine have gained mainstream acceptance over decades through celebrity endorsements and media platforms• Reusable surgical instruments like stainless steel uterine manipulators offer both economic and environmental advantages over disposable options• Plus, Learn the history of The Green Journal's distinctive colorBe sure to check out thinkingaboutobgyn.com for more information and follow us on Instagram. We'll be back in two weeks.00:00:35 Monitoring Cervical Length After LEEP00:10:30 Understanding Intent-to-Treat Analysis00:28:54 MAHA Movement and Medical Misinformation00:53:49 Carbon Footprint of Uterine Manipulators00:57:30 History of the Green JournalFollow us on Instagram @thinkingaboutobgyn.

Send us a textIn her early 20s, Kelsey of Soul Shine Birth went to her OBGYN for a routine Pap smear. Her results came back with HPV and abnormal cells. Having been led to believe she had impending cervical cancer, she did exactly what her OB advised: Get a LEEP (Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure) as soon as possible to remove any potentially harmful cells. For the next 6-9 months sex was painful and she regularly bled with intercourse.  As it turned out, her abnormal cells were not cancerous and her HPV (human papillomavirus) spontaneously resolved, as it typically does in young women. Statistics show that 90% of HPV cases spontaneously resolve without intervention within two years. Today, Kelsey shares the story of her exhaustingly long labor, the remedies her midwife recommended to help cervical scar tissue dissolve, and how her mental preparations and birth altar supported her in achieving a vaginal birth despite 10 hours at nearly full dilation.  This episode sheds light on the unnecessary and seemingly harmless interventions that young women are offered with their routine Pap smear that can have lasting and detrimental effects on the birth experience. Watch the full video of today's episode on YouTubeIf you enjoyed this episode, you can learn more by listening to episode #251 with Nathan Riley, MD.#251 | HPV and Your Abnormal Pap May Not Be What You Think: Cervical Cancer Prevention with Nathan RileySoul Shine Birth on InstagramSoul Shine Birth Website**********Our sponsors:Silverette Nursing Cups -- Soothe and heal sore nipples with 925 silver nursing cups.Postpartum Soothe -- Herbs and padsicles to heal and comfort.Needed -- Our favorite nutritional products for before, during, and after pregnancy. Use this link to save 20%Use promo code: DOWNTOBIRTH for all sponsors.DrinkLMNT -- Purchase LMNT with this unique link and receive a free 8-day supply.  Connect with us on Patreon for our exclusive content.Email Contact@DownToBirthShow.comInstagram @downtobirthshowCall us at 802-GET-DOWN Work with Cynthia: 203-952-7299 HypnoBirthingCT.com Work with Trisha: 734-649-6294 Please remember we don't provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed medical provider for all your healthcare matters.

I can't recall the last time I read a book in one sitting, but that's what happened with Moral Ambition by bestselling author Rutger Bregman. I read the German edition, though it's also available in Dutch. An English release is slated for May. The book opens with the statement: “The greatest waste of our times is the waste of talent.” From there, Bregman builds a compelling case for privileged individuals to leave their “bullshit jobs” and tackle the world's most pressing challenges. He weaves together narratives spanning historical movements like abolitionism, suffrage, and civil rights through to contemporary initiatives such as Against Malaria Foundation, Charity Entrepreneurship, LEEP, and the Shrimp Welfare Project. If you've been engaged with EA ideas, much of this will sound familiar, but I initially didn't expect to enjoy the book as much as I did. However, Bregman's skill as a storyteller and his knack for [...] --- First published: January 9th, 2025 Source: https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/ooK2FABokexBbXifJ/thoughts-on-moral-ambition-by-rutger-bregman --- Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.

Today we have a special episode. We're bringing you something unique and powerful: a real Esalen check-in. This practice, rooted in the Gestalt therapy that evolved at Esalen over the years, has become a cornerstone of the Esalen experience, often described as a catalyst for self-awareness, connection, and personal growth. Our check-in features an incredible group of people: full-time staff members Nani Almanza, Jess Siller, Alex Shepherd, Sam Stern, and Shira Levine, as well as Faith Blakeney, a participant in the LEEP and REEP residential programs. What you'll hear is real. It is authentic and unscripted. While our participants were aware of being recorded, they spoke from the heart. We've made every effort to preserve the intimacy and rawness of the experience with only minimal editing. This episode offers a rare glimpse into the heart of what makes Esalen truly special. This is the secret sauce - the open, honest sharing that forms the foundation for personal transformation. I invite you to listen with an open heart and mind, as we explore this fundamental Esalen practice together.

Brittany Chaffee talks about navigating cervical health testing, and recounts the moment she received an alarming call from her doctor, leading to years of anxiety, biopsies, and eventually, a harrowing LEEP procedure. Brittany emphasizes the importance of talking publicly about women's health to combat shame and isolation. Show notes:‘The powerful act of sharing our stories about women's health.' What is a LEEP procedure?What is a colposcopy?More information on cervical cancer screening We're building a community around women's health so that no one is overlooked. You can support the show by:-Subscribing to the Overlooked newsletter on the website: www.overlookedpod.com-Leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. -Sharing this episode with someone who will find it useful and relevant.-Write to us and tell us your story: hello@overlookedpod.com

In this episode, I discuss cervical dysplasia, which is when there are abnormal cells on the cervix before it turns into cancer, specifically CIN 2 and 3. Many women in this situation face the decision of whether to have a LEEP procedure or to take a natural approach called escharotic treatments.  If you're dealing with this decision, I think this video will be very helpful for you. It will also be useful for any women dealing with high-risk HPV and abnormal pap smears, in case you find yourself facing CIN 2 or 3 at some point.  For the most comprehensive support, even with the most difficult health issues (physical or mental), and for access to the tests I mentioned in this episode, it is best to meet with me one-on-one, which is available to you no matter where you are in the world (via phone or zoom) We're here to help you! LINKS FROM THE EPISODE:   Schedule A Chat With Dr. Doni: https://intakeq.com/new/hhsnib/vuaovx   Join The HPV Workshop: https://doctordoni.com/hpv-12-week     Read the full episode notes and find more information: https://doctordoni.com/blog/podcasts/ MORE RESOURCES FROM DR. DONI:   Quick links to social media, free guides and programs, and more: https://doctordoni.com/links     Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are product links and affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission at no cost to you. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

Dr. Jeanne Leep – Improv Nerd Meet the brilliant author and professor, Dr. Jeanne Leep. Jeanne played improv in Grand Rapids, Michigan and went on to pursue a Ph.D. in Theatre. I had the good fortune to play with Jeanne recently and was awed by her spontaneity and joy. She went to high school with our mutual friend Jay Sukow and then went on to the University Of Michigan and Wayne State College. Her best-selling book, “Theatrical Improvisation: Short Form, Long Form, and Sketch-Based Improv” is a classic book on the history of improv and sketch comedy that gives a clear definition on this often ambiguous topic. The forward was written by Jeanne's friend, Keegan Michael Key. Her research is extensive and this is certainly a book to add to your Improv Library. Brimming with original interviews from leaders in the field such as Ron West, Charna Halpern, John Sweeny and Margaret Edwartowski, Theatrical Improvisation presents straightforward improvisational theory, history, and trends. She is a Professor of Theatre Arts at Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin and her students are really fortunate to have her wisdom and humor. Visit my website where I speak to today's leading innovators of improv. My guests are improvisers and therapists from all over the world who share their stories and offer insight into the unique ways they use improv. margotescott.com/podcast/

Welcome to The Nonlinear Library, where we use Text-to-Speech software to convert the best writing from the Rationalist and EA communities into audio. This is: #175 - Preventing lead poisoning for $1.66 per child (Lucia Coulter on the 80,000 Hours Podcast), published by 80000 Hours on December 16, 2023 on The Effective Altruism Forum. We just published an interview: Lucia Coulter on preventing lead poisoning for $1.66 per child. Listen on Spotify or click through for other audio options, the transcript, and related links. Below are the episode summary and some key excerpts. Episode summary I always wonder if one part of it is just the really invisible nature of lead as a poison. Of course impacts aren't invisible: millions of deaths and trillions of dollars in lost income. But the fact that lead is the cause is not apparent. It's not apparent when you're being exposed to the lead. The paint just looks like any other paint; the cookware looks like any other cookware. And also, if you are suffering the effects of lead poisoning, if you have cognitive impairment and heart disease, you're not going to think, "Oh, it was that lead exposure." It's just not going to be clear. Lucia Coulter Lead is one of the most poisonous things going. A single sugar sachet of lead, spread over a park the size of an American football field, is enough to give a child that regularly plays there lead poisoning. For life they'll be condemned to a ~3-point-lower IQ; a 50% higher risk of heart attacks; and elevated risk of kidney disease, anaemia, and ADHD, among other effects. We've known lead is a health nightmare for at least 50 years, and that got lead out of car fuel everywhere. So is the situation under control? Not even close. Around half the kids in poor and middle-income countries have blood lead levels above 5 micrograms per decilitre; the US declared a national emergency when just 5% of the children in Flint, Michigan exceeded that level. The collective damage this is doing to children's intellectual potential, health, and life expectancy is vast - the health damage involved is around that caused by malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV combined. This week's guest, Lucia Coulter - cofounder of the incredibly successful Lead Exposure Elimination Project (LEEP) - speaks about how LEEP has been reducing childhood lead exposure in poor countries by getting bans on lead in paint enforced. Various estimates suggest the work is absurdly cost effective. LEEP is in expectation preventing kids from getting lead poisoning for under $2 per child (explore the analysis here). Or, looking at it differently, LEEP is saving a year of healthy life for $14, and in the long run is increasing people's lifetime income anywhere from $300-1,200 for each $1 it spends, by preventing intellectual stunting. Which raises the question: why hasn't this happened already? How is lead still in paint in most poor countries, even when that's oftentimes already illegal? And how is LEEP able to get bans on leaded paint enforced in a country while spending barely tens of thousands of dollars? When leaded paint is gone, what should they target next? With host Robert Wiblin, Lucia answers all those questions and more: Why LEEP isn't fully funded, and what it would do with extra money (you can donate here). How bad lead poisoning is in rich countries. Why lead is still in aeroplane fuel. How lead got put straight in food in Bangladesh, and a handful of people got it removed. Why the enormous damage done by lead mostly goes unnoticed. The other major sources of lead exposure aside from paint. Lucia's story of founding a highly effective nonprofit, despite having no prior entrepreneurship experience, through Charity Entrepreneurship's Incubation Program. Why Lucia pledges 10% of her income to cost-effective charities. Lucia's take on why GiveWell didn't support LEEP earlier on. How the invention of cheap, accessible lead testing for blood and consumer products would be a game changer. Genera...

Lead is one of the most poisonous things going. A single sugar sachet of lead, spread over a park the size of an American football field, is enough to give a child that regularly plays there lead poisoning. For life they'll be condemned to a ~3-point-lower IQ; a 50% higher risk of heart attacks; and elevated risk of kidney disease, anaemia, and ADHD, among other effects.We've known lead is a health nightmare for at least 50 years, and that got lead out of car fuel everywhere. So is the situation under control? Not even close.Around half the kids in poor and middle-income countries have blood lead levels above 5 micrograms per decilitre; the US declared a national emergency when just 5% of the children in Flint, Michigan exceeded that level. The collective damage this is doing to children's intellectual potential, health, and life expectancy is vast — the health damage involved is around that caused by malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV combined.This week's guest, Lucia Coulter — cofounder of the incredibly successful Lead Exposure Elimination Project (LEEP) — speaks about how LEEP has been reducing childhood lead exposure in poor countries by getting bans on lead in paint enforced.Links to learn more, summary, and full transcript.Various estimates suggest the work is absurdly cost effective. LEEP is in expectation preventing kids from getting lead poisoning for under $2 per child (explore the analysis here). Or, looking at it differently, LEEP is saving a year of healthy life for $14, and in the long run is increasing people's lifetime income anywhere from $300–1,200 for each $1 it spends, by preventing intellectual stunting.Which raises the question: why hasn't this happened already? How is lead still in paint in most poor countries, even when that's oftentimes already illegal? And how is LEEP able to get bans on leaded paint enforced in a country while spending barely tens of thousands of dollars? When leaded paint is gone, what should they target next?With host Robert Wiblin, Lucia answers all those questions and more:Why LEEP isn't fully funded, and what it would do with extra money (you can donate here).How bad lead poisoning is in rich countries.Why lead is still in aeroplane fuel.How lead got put straight in food in Bangladesh, and a handful of people got it removed.Why the enormous damage done by lead mostly goes unnoticed.The other major sources of lead exposure aside from paint.Lucia's story of founding a highly effective nonprofit, despite having no prior entrepreneurship experience, through Charity Entrepreneurship's Incubation Program.Why Lucia pledges 10% of her income to cost-effective charities.Lucia's take on why GiveWell didn't support LEEP earlier on.How the invention of cheap, accessible lead testing for blood and consumer products would be a game changer.Generalisable lessons LEEP has learned from coordinating with governments in poor countries.And plenty more.Producer and editor: Keiran HarrisAudio Engineering Lead: Ben CordellTechnical editing: Milo McGuire and Dominic ArmstrongTranscriptions: Katy Moore

In this episode, Elle and Vee have one of their most important conversations to date: all things vaginal health.  Elle is a medical professional - a nutritional therapist and holistic  medical professional with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, so Vee uses this opportunity to pick her brain about how to prevent the most common of vaginal issues, including:  Chronic yeast infections and BV (bacterial vaginosis): natural solutions, vaginal PH balance and probiotics. What specific probiotic strains should we look for when buying probiotics? (7:01)Yeast infections: how do antibiotics affect our vaginas? Medications vs boric acid. How do condoms, lubes and sperm affect our PH levels? (13:20)Online medical solutions: WISP (@hellowisp), and finding the right resources online. (20:21)Can our body be trying to tell us something? Irregular PAP smears, precancerous cells and LEEP procedures. (22:21)How does our diet affect our vaginas? Sugar, antibiotics, muscle testing and getting yeast infections in foreign countries, plus coconut oil has anti fungal benefits! (26:21)UTIs: peeing protocol, the right cranberry supplements, the right things to wash with, and why Elle doesn't recommend douching. (33:36)Vagina upkeep: how to keep your vagina healthy on lifestyle vacations, at sex parties etc. What do Elle and Vee have on hand during, and what to use beforehand and afterwards. (42:21)Support the showInstagram: @girlsgonedeeppod Contact: girlsgonedeep@gmail.comWhoreible Life: Get 10% off your pack with code GONEDEEP at whoreiblelife.comWoo More Play Affiliate Link: Support us while you shop!

Management of CINI is straightforward, as is management of CIN3. CIN1 allows for observation, and CIN3 requires treatment regardless of the patient's age as it is a true pre-cancerous lesion. But some “gray zone“ exits for CIN2 management. Population-based data has confirmed a high rate of spontaneous resolution within 2 years after CIN2 diagnosis. Is the rate of cervical cancer higher in this surveillance group compared to immediate LEEP? In this episode, we will highlight 2 separate publications, each originating from the same patient database (Danish population-based cohort). These 2 publications are from the same group of authors with one publication coming from the AJOG (December 2023), and the other one published last month in BMJ (November 2023).

Dilating to a full 10 centimeters is important if you're hoping for a vaginal birth. And having cervical scar tissue from procedures such as an IUD or LEEP procedure can prevent that from happening. So, what exactly is cervical scar tissue and how do you know if you have it? Plus, key questions to ask your medical care provider to make sure they know how to handle a possible issue during labor and delivery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Meagan and Julie went Live in The VBAC Link Community Facebook Group answering your questions. They recorded the conversation to share with you on the podcast today. Topics include: Risks of VBAC, Repeat Cesarean, and CBACCook versus Foley CathetersCervical lipsMembrane sweepsVBA2C and VBAMCCPDThank you for sending in your questions! An educated birth is an empowered one. You've got this, Women of Strength!Additional LinksThe VBAC Link Blog: VBAC vs Repeat CesareanCook versus Foley Catheter StudyEBB 151: Updated Evidence on the Pros and Cons of Membrane SweepingACOG Article: VBACThe VBAC Link Blog: VBA2CNeeded WebsiteFull Transcript under Episode Details Meagan: Hey, hey everybody! Guess what? It's November which is one of my favorite months because it is my birthday month. I have forever and ever loved birthday months so this is going to be a great month because it is my birthday month. Today we are kicking it off with questions and answers with myself and Julie. Hey, Julie. Julie: Hey, I'm so excited to be here. Meagan: Welcome back. We're going to get right into this review and get some of these great questions answered. We know you guys have so many questions. This review is from bunnyfolife777. It says, “So much hope.” It says, “I'm 16 weeks pregnant and shooting for my VBAC. I've been in The VBAC Link group on Facebook for over a year, but I've only just started listening to the podcast. I don't know why I waited. I'm bawling now just two episodes in. The statistics and advice you share are golden. I'm going to listen to it again and take notes this time. I'm scared about having to advocate for myself living abroad where most doctors push for C-sections so I'm thankful I can arm myself with the knowledge through The VBAC Link. Thank you.”Oh, that makes me so happy. We're going to be talking about statistics on this podcast episode today. Julie: You know I love a good statistic. Meagan: I know. You are the statistic junkie. Julie: I'm a nerd. Meagan: Okay, okay Julie. I love having you back on the show. It just feels so natural. Julie: It's fun. Meagan: It is fun. It's so fun so thank you for being willing to join me again on these random episodes. As we were saying, we are really just wanting to answer some of these questions. So yeah. What is one of the questions right here that you love that you are like, “Let's start this off with”?Julie: Okay, so gosh. I mean, there are so many good ones. I feel like we've talked about a lot of these things many, many times over the years, but I feel like every time we talk about them, we get a new perspective in. There is new information and new evidence. Not everyone goes and listens to every single one of the episodes although lots of people do, but I think it's fun to revisit some of these things. I don't know. There are so many that stuck out to me. VBAC vs Repeat Cesarean vs CBACOne thing that we haven't really talked about directly in this way is, is it really safer to give birth vaginally? I mean, yes. It is. We can go over that but I really like the second part of that question which is, “What if that labor doesn't work and goes to a C-section? Is that more dangerous?” I want to talk about that because we talk about VBAC is safer than a repeat Cesarean statistically. We are talking about all of the numbers when we talk about all of the different things that could go wrong between vaginal birth and Cesarean birth then actually, for the second, whether you choose VBAC or repeat Cesarean, the statistics are actually not that much different as far as safety goes. VBAC is slightly safer overall, but there really isn't a big enough difference to say, “You should absolutely do this.” Right? That's where your intuition comes in. But if you want more than two kids, the more C-sections you have, the higher the chance you have of having severe complications. By the time you get to your fourth or fifth C-section, you have a 1 in 3 chance of having a major medical intervention during your Cesarean. I feel like so many times we as people educating about birth or talking about birth talk about just those two things. VBAC and repeat Cesarean, but there's actually a third thing that's worth talking about. That is a TOLAC– I know it's kind of a trigger word for some, but it's just a medical term we're going to use here– that ends in a repeat Cesarean. Meagan: Yes, because we know that happens. Julie: We know it happens. It does happen. Meagan: It happened with me. Julie: Sometimes it's medically necessary. Sometimes it's not, and you just don't know. We've got to put it in the order of three things. First, the safest is VBAC or a vaginal birth. Second is a scheduled C-section and the third is a VBAC attempt or a TOLAC that ends in a repeat Cesarean. We also call that a CBAC or a Cesarean birth after a Cesarean. Now, if you labor and then have to have a C-section for whatever reason, there are more risks with that including postpartum hemorrhage or bleeding, and needing a blood transfusion. Obviously, the risks to baby are pretty similar but it's just harder to operate on a uterus that is contracting. You're more likely to bleed because that uterus is contracting. Sometimes, if it's an emergency situation, the providers have to do things like a special scar or a special type of incision or they have to put you under general anesthesia. That has more risks in and of itself. I feel like that's a really valid question that she asked. What if? What if? There are always what if's, but what is safer? Meagan: Right, right. For patients or parents that are going for a TOLAC, a trial of labor after a Cesarean, and then may require or end up going to have that Cesarean, there is also a slightly increased risk of postpartum infection. Julie: Yes. Meagan: And also some possible complications. You just touched on it a little bit, but when a uterus is already contracting– so I'm going to backpedal a little bit. When we go in for an elective Cesarean, typically we are not already in labor. We're not already having contractions so performing a Cesarean on a contracting uterus can possibly cause some issues there as well. That is sometimes why a lot of providers don't want an elective Cesarean to even go to 40 weeks or past. They want to have an elective earlier on. That may also help give you some understanding of why providers are saying that. But yeah, it just slightly increases in other ways. Yeah. Anyway, keep going. Julie: No, I love that. I just don't think we've ever– I mean, we do in our course and things like that. We talk about it directly, but that's something to consider. I think that's also really important. I feel like it adds the extra layer of where you want to make sure you have a really good provider because if you have a provider who is not really supportive or who is giving you tons of red flags or who is saying that you have to induce because of a big baby– I'm surprised that big baby isn't in some of these questions, to be honest. We can talk about that a little bit later, but it's really important. That's something to consider. It's all about weighing the risks and what risks are you more comfortable with taking on? Are you more comfortable taking on the risk of going into a vaginal birth attempt– you want to try for a VBAC– and having the possibility of it ending in a repeat Cesarean? The possibility of it ending in a repeat Cesarean varies depending on where you are birthing. If it is a home birth, you have a 10% chance of it ending in a Cesarean. Statistically, nationwide, you have a 30-40% chance of it ending in a repeat Cesarean. But if you have a really good provider, there's probably only a 10-20% chance of it ending in a repeat Cesarean. Sometimes, if you have a really bad provider, you might be looking at a 50 or 60 or 70% chance of having a repeat Cesarean. So what is an acceptable risk for one person is not for another. If that just sounds too scary for you or are risks that you are not willing to take, then maybe scheduling a repeat Cesarean is the right choice for you and that's okay. But if you're a diehard and want to fight the system to prove everybody wrong no matter what the costs are, then maybe you just want to have a VBAC and that's okay. Not that that's a bad thing, but it's also probably not a very healthy way of thinking. I was like that. I'm like, “I'm getting my VBAC and I'm going to do everything I can to safely set up the best chances for me and my baby.” That's why I ultimately chose an out-of-hospital birth with a really amazing provider who had tons of experience in all types of birth situations. But I don't know. I think that's super important and something to consider. We're not trying to scare anyone here, but we are never going to lie to you. We're never going to dance around the issues. We're never going to sugarcoat things. Meagan: Yeah. Yeah. I think that was a good question. Okay, well if it really is safer to have a vaginal birth, what's the safety here? Yeah. I really loved that question a lot. Julie: I wish I had some statistics off of the top of my head, to be honest. I'm pretty sure we wrote a blog about it. VBAC versus a repeat Cesarean. Meagan: Okay. I'm going to bounce to this next question– Julie: Wait, wait, wait, wait. Wait, wait, wait, wait. I have something. Meagan: Did you find a stat? Julie: No. Well, yes actually. I found the blog. If you guys want to know more about the blogs, I'm not going to get into it because we want to move on to all of these other questions. Our wonderful transcriber, Paige, is going to put a link to the blog in the show notes so make sure you check it out and it goes in super, really big detail about all of those statistics, and pros and cons for all of those things. I say our transcriber, but you know what I mean. I feel like it's still us. It's still we, right? I don't know. I'm never going to not feel like that. Maybe one day. No, probably not. I miss it so much. Meagan: Probably not. No, probably not. Julie: Sorry, let's go on. Cook vs Foley CatheterMeagan: No, you're fine. So I want to talk about catheters. Not catheters to drain urine, but the catheters to help with an induction. Someone asked, “What's the difference?” We'll even hear in Utah a Cook versus a Foley. A Foley catheter can also be the type that actually goes into your bladder through your urethra and drains urine but there's also a Foley catheter that can help induce labor. There's Cook and Foley. One of the questions was, “What is the difference between the two?” Really, the only difference is that a Cook has a double-balloon and the Foley is not a double. There's just one. If you can– I don't even know how to give this image. How would you give this image of what a Cook catheter is like? The catheter with two balloons on it? I don't know, like ice cream? Oh, you're muted. Julie: I'm sitting over here dancing. Meagan: She's dancing in this image and I'm like, “She's saying something.” I'm thinking of a double scoop of ice cream.Julie: I'm thinking it's kind of like a barbell. Yeah. Or like a barbell, right? If you think of a cartoon barbell with the balls on the end but much shorter. Meagan: Yeah. Both of them are inflated with saline. It's inserted through the cervix, the balloons are inflated, and then they put pressure mechanically onto the cervix which causes pressure and dilation and effacement and things like that. Yeah. It's been a really long time since these have been being used. We will see, once in a while, providers say that a catheter, Cook or a Foley, is a contraindication for someone who wants to have a VBAC. That is kind of hard. It's really interesting. It's just a balloon that goes in. There's no medicine that is put in at all. It's just saline and like I said, it's a mechanical dilation. So if you are curious about methods of induction that your provider is comfortable with, I would encourage you before you get to the 37th, 38th, 39th, 40th, 41st, and 42nd week of pregnancy to discuss with your provider more about a Cook catheter and what they are comfortable with. It is really hard because sometimes, those catheters can be one of the best ways to help induce a cervix or a TOLAC for someone who is wanting to go for a VBAC because they can't always just do other ripening aids and this can definitely help with the cervical ripening to help get to that further progress of having a baby. Julie: I love it. I think it's silly sometimes how providers will not induce with a Foley for VBAC. I just don't get it because there's no solid evidence that supports not doing that. I just think– me and you, we've seen so many VBACs induced with that. It's been fine and healthy. There is just not anything out there. I know every provider has their things that they will and won't do. If you have a provider that won't do that, then you might want to talk to another provider. Meagan: Now that we kind of know that there are two different types, let's talk a little bit about the differences. There is a difference in what they do. Why would we even use them? Which one is better? I think that is a big question. Which one is better to use? I'm just going to tell you after some evidence that a Cook catheter for cervical ripening has greater results. What have you seen, Julie? What have you seen in the past?Julie: Honestly, I'm trying to think if I've ever seen anybody use the Cook catheter. I think I've only seen Foleys to be honest. I'm trying to think back. Maybe there has been one but I just can't think of any. Meagan: I've only seen one. Yep, I've only seen one and it was up at the University Hospital here in Utah. They used that. She was barely half of a centimeter dilated and 30% effaced, very little. They used that for softening really, but the Cook catheter, I think, through studies has shown that it is more effective or has greater cervical ripening compared to the Foley. However, in fact, I'm going to hurry and pull this up. I'm just going to read this. It shows, “The duration from the balloon insertion to it exiting and delivery was significantly shorter using a Foley catheter.” Julie: Interesting. Meagan: Yeah. So Cook catheter has a greater result of actually ripening the cervix, but the Foley has a greater success rate overall from start to finish. I mean, I have seen so many people with Foleys. It sounds weird because sometimes, everyone is like, “You're suggesting Pitocin?” I'm not suggesting it. I'm just saying that I have seen a Foley placed with Pitocin at 4mL, just a little bit, and it is insane sometimes how great the result is. Sometimes when the Foley comes out– maybe you've seen this– it's a mechanical dilation so it kind of relaxes just a little. It's not like we go backward. It just kind of relaxes like it's overstretched and it relaxes. Then we have to catch up, right? But I have seen where with there is a tiny, tiny lift of Pitocin being involved–Julie: You don't have that relaxing as much, yeah. Meagan: Yeah. I don't see where it's like, “Oh, you're a 4,” and then they check and they're like, “Well, you're kind of a 3.” Listeners, I just want you to know that that's a thing too. If a Foley comes out, remember that it's a mechanical dilation in your cervix. It may be stretchy-stretchy, but you might not be a full 4 or whatever. So talking about top to bottom, Julie you just mentioned that a little bit ago. With me, do you want to talk about that?Julie: Yeah. Well, I mean, the Cook catheter has two balloons essentially that they fill up with saline. The Cook has two balloons. The Foley has one. The idea with the Cook catheter is that it puts pressure on both ends of the cervix. My gosh, I don't know if we even said how they put it in. You insert a catheter in through the cervix and then the Cook has two balloons on either end that they inflate so it pushes to soften and open the cervix. Then, the Foley only has one balloon that they put. They insert it into the top through the cervix inside of the uterus and inflate it there with the balloon. They tape it to your leg and it pulls. Meagan: They tug it. Julie: You've got to tug it and it pulls down. It provides a lot of pressure so that the cervix can soften and open. All of my clients have just been pretty uncomfortable with it in. They feel some relief when it comes out because then it just falls out. It pulls out at some point. Honestly, I don't know. This is maybe making me sound like an idiot but do they tape the Cook catheter to the leg or not? I don't know. Meagan: I did not see it taped to the leg. Julie: I'm wondering if maybe that's why the Foley is more successful because you're having just one downward motion instead of two pressures going toward each other. I don't know. I don't know. Meagan: Yeah, maybe. It's kind of interesting because with the Foley, every 20-30 minutes, they're wanting you to pull on it. Julie: I don't know if they do that with the Cook. Meagan: I don't either because we haven't seen enough. Julie: Yeah. Meagan: So if you're listening today, go comment in today's episode. If you had a Cook catheter, let us know what happened. Tell us about it. Tell us what your experience was. I think they said in the study that really, there was no significant difference in the outcomes specifically between the two having more Pitocin or the mode of delivery or anything like that. It's just that the Cook catheter had a greater result of cervical ripening and the Foley catheter maybe shortened the duration but there wasn't any crazy, significant difference of mode of delivery or your for sure had to use Pitocin with a Cook or anything like that. So that's interesting. Julie: Yeah, interesting. The point is that it is safe for VBAC. This is another thing. I'm going on a teeny little soapbox that I'm going to get off really fast, but why does it take the burn of proof to show that something is or is not evidence-based or is a reasonable patient? Rely on the patient. If your provider says, “No, it's dangerous. We can't do Foley for a VBAC,” make them show you why. Ask them where the source is coming from. I don't understand why we have to bring the stuff to show that it is safe. Why? It's stupid. Meagan: I don't know. I don't know. Why? Julie: Why? Meagan: I mean, even the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology says– Julie: Yeah, and that's ACOG's journey. Meagan: They say, “Foley catheter did not increase the risk of uterine rupture in TOLAC.” It says that. “Similar, uterine scar dehiscence was not associated with a Foley catheter.” I don't ever want to make it sound like we are bashing a provider or it's a show bashing providers, but we're having providers tell people that they have zero option to be induced especially if there's a medical reason. Sometimes there's a medical reason. We've got preeclampsia or something is going on, but this mom wants to have a trial of labor and a VBAC, but then her cervix isn't super great for induction. We're being robbed of these options. They even say, “The data shows the Foley catheter is a safe tool for mechanical dilation in women undergoing a trial of labor after a Cesarean.” If your provider is saying that you're not a candidate or it's a contraindication for VBAC, then maybe I invite you to have a discussion with them. Right? An open discussion of, “Okay, what I have learned is that it's not necessarily a contraindication. Is there new evidence that we're not aware of?” Maybe there is. Maybe there's new evidence. Julie: There's not. Meagan: I know, but right? Maybe they have secret evidence. Julie: Give them the benefit of the doubt, right? Meagan: Is there new evidence that we're not aware of and is there any way that we can have a conversation about it? Can we talk about this because if it is, then okay? But if not–Julie: Well, and honestly, gosh. I just think that it's just something that they've heard or something that their practice does or something that the hospital says. You know, I mean, we all do it in our lives. Our mom says, “Oh, this and this. Oh, you should never cook with refined sugar. You should always use granulated sugar.” I don't know. I'm not a baker so it's probably not a good example. But you know, and then you go throughout your life like, “Oh, my mom says you should never cook with this type of sugar,” but that type of sugar is totally fine. Someone you trust had told you that so it's just ingrained in your belief. I have those things. Meagan: It's like the trans-fat argument. Julie: Yes. It's like, my gosh. How many beliefs do we hold that maybe we know they're just silly, but it's just something we've known for so long that doing it otherwise would feel so foreign to us. There are so many things in the system like that where the providers aren't meaning to do harm, it's just the way that they've been taught. It doesn't give them an excuse. Oh my gosh, there was a quote the other day that popped up in my feed. I was arguing online with some photographer about birth photography and I got a little heated because I was super tired because I'd been to three births in four days and I was awake for 16 hours through the night. Anyway, but a little while later, some unrelated person posted this quote in their stories and I like it because it goes along with what I was just talking about. It says, “Don't assume malice. Assume ignorance. Life is easier. The world is kinder and you can educate. Actual malice is pretty rare, I find.” Then somebody else commented and said, “I always remember Hanlon's Razor. Never assume malice when incompetence will suffice as an explanation. With that said, never forget Fred Clark's lot either. Sufficiently advanced incompetence is indistinguishable from malice. There is a certain point at which ignorance becomes malice at which there is simply no way to become that ignorant except deliberately and maliciously.” I'm going to forward this to you. Meagan: I was just going to say will you forward that because that is amazing. Never just assume malice. Julie: Assume ignorance. They just don't know. It's okay because there are lots of things we don't know too but when it gets to the point where you're just completely refusing to see that there's any other way, then that's where it gets to be malice and aggressive. But I love a provider or a nurse when I'm in the delivery room doing peanut ball or Spinning Babies and the nurse is like, “Oh, tell me more about that.” That is a position of maybe ignorance and they want to learn and do better. They just don't know those things. But when you have a nurse come in who says, “Oh, we don't use the peanut ball before 7 centimeters because it doesn't do anything,” that is a malicious form of ignorance. Meagan: Yeah. Yeah. Okay, I love that so, so much. Thank you for sharing that. Julie: You're welcome. I'm glad I screenshotted it. Cervical LipsMeagan: Me too. Okay, one of the questions is about cervical lips. Julie: Mmm. Meagan: I know, it's a good question. It's hard because it happens and it's frustrating if it doesn't go away. Right? It's like, if I make it to 9.5 centimeters and I have this lip that will not go away, one– why doesn't it go away? Why does it happen? Two– how can I get it away? What are some ways? It sucks if that is the only reason why a Cesarean happens. Julie: Well, first do you want to say what a cervical lip is just in case people don't know? Meagan: Yep, yep. Julie: Oh, me? Well, a cervical lip is just where your cervix is almost fully dilated, but there is just a little sliver of it, or part of it– so if you imagine a crescent moon shape, where part of your cervix is all the way gone behind baby's head and there is just a little sliver of it on some part of the baby's head coming over. Just a teeny bit. Just like a lip. Just like a little lip. Meagan: Yes. So when we have cervical lips, sometimes pressure on that part of the cervix helps it melt away and thin. We work through positions like what Julie was saying by using a peanut ball or we make you more central through a squat or sitting on the toilet. Sometimes it's an anterior lip. Sometimes it's way on the side. Sometimes it's a little puffier in the back. Sometimes we will use positions to help get rid of that lip.But it's really hard because sometimes even through positions, that lip sometimes doesn't go away. Sometimes it can be massaged or it can be advanced. I'm happy to continue but I want to give you an opportunity to talk too. Julie: No, you're good. Meagan: But advancing, right? Julie: The provider will hold it during a contraction and push it back. That's really painful if you don't have an epidural. If you have an epidural, that's a good way to do it. The medical system is going to hate me for saying this, but I've also seen people push through a contraction when they have a cervical lip and it slips right over baby's head. You don't want to push too much with a cervical lip also because it can cause the cervix to swell if it's a positional issue. There are a whole bunch of things you can do, but Meagan, I think you were right on track when you were talking about movement, positions, squatting, and all of those things to help put that pressure on and help straighten baby's head out. I mean, it's not always because of the baby's head, but it could be. Squatting and putting that pressure down is just going to really help. Meagan: Yeah, so when a provider is holding it and helping it, I call it an advance. Advancing it over the baby's head. Sometimes it just needs to slip over the baby's head. It's so stretchy. Julie: It will stay there. Meagan: Sometimes, it's so stretchy that it will just go away. I'm always giving sound effects on this podcast. Sometimes it's like we're trying, trying, and trying, but then we have possible issues because then we're swelling. We're aggravating it. It's tissue. It's the cervix so it can get bogged and it can swell. So if that is happening and your provider is like, “Yes. I think through this push, I can push it. I can help advance it over this baby's head and it's going to go away and we're going to have a baby,” great. It's worth trying. But if it's over and over and over again and we're advancing it and it's just not going, we are risking it to swell. So yeah. Movement. This sounds weird too. Here I am suggesting Pitocin again. Sometimes a little stronger of a contraction, just a little bit stronger of a contraction and a little bit of a lift can just put the amount of pressure on the cervix or cause the cervix to continue dilating. Then the cervix is done and you can turn the Pitocin off. That's always an option to say, “Okay. We've done this, this, and this. Let's move on.” Some providers, usually out-of-hospital providers– Julie, I don't know if you've seen this– will place Arnica. Julie: Yeah. I have seen that. Meagan: If it's starting to feel puffy or maybe have done advancing a couple of times. Julie: I love Arnica, man. It is my favorite. Arnica gel. Meagan: I love it too. Julie: Love it. Meagan: Yes. I love it. Sometimes providers will do some Arnica up there to help reduce inflammation and swelling and things like that. Cervical lips can happen for no reason really other than just it's happening. People say, “Oh, sometimes it's baby's position.” Again, maybe we want more pressure. Sometimes it's the lack of intensity. If I remember right, if you've ever had a LEEP procedure–Julie: Yeah, like some scarring on the cervix can cause that. Meagan: Yes. Yeah. So a LEEP procedure or maybe really bad cervical tearing or trauma to the cervix can create less elasticity. I don't know if that's the right word. But it can cause a cervical lip. I've also seen– this is more for the edema again on the Arnica– Benadryl. Providers give someone Benadryl because it's an antihistamine for swelling. Yeah. There are so many things that you can talk to your provider about. If you have a cervical lip, oh. Go ahead. Julie: I was going to say that sometimes, just doing nothing. Meagan: Just waiting, yes. Julie: Sometimes in labor, even us as doulas, we see, “Oh, well it looks like contractions are coupling. Let's do some abdominal lifts.” But sometimes, that's an intervention. It just is. Spinning Babies® is an intervention. It's a more natural intervention, but sometimes, maybe a lot of the time, you just need to leave it alone. I don't know. I saw this post on social media the other day that was talking about, “I hate Spinning Babies® because it's an intervention and all of these doulas and midwives are like, ‘Oh, let's do Spinning Babies®. Let's do Spinning Babies®.' It's an intervention just like Pitocin or whatever.”I don't think it's just like Pitocin, but it kind of takes away from the trust of the natural labor process when you're like, “Oh, you've got to fix this.” It's kind of, in a way, saying that we don't trust the natural labor process as much. But there are some times when it is good and beneficial to do those things. There are some times when you can't just trust the natural labor process alone, but a lot of times, you can. A lot of times, we just need to let these things be and they will resolve themselves. This is a big thing where knowing all of your options then trusting your intuition and having someone to guide you like a doula will help you know which is the right thing for you whether you want to try squatting, try different positions, try Arnica gel, or just leave it be for a little while. There's no right answer. Meagan: There is no right answer and there are these things that we can do. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don't, but we want you to know that there are things you can do. Sometimes those things just do nothing. Absolutely. Membrane SweepsSo let's talk about sweeping membranes. Talking about interventions, sweeping the membranes. I've heard it called a sweep and a scrape. Julie: Ew. Meagan: Yeah. People say “scraping the membrane”. If you don't know what sweeping the membranes is, it's when a provider will insert typically their fingers inside the cervix and separate the membrane of the amniotic sac from the cervix and do a little sweep around. That releases hormones like prostaglandins and things like that. Sometimes, it's used to induce. It's a more gentle– I don't know if that's how you say it– way of inducing. One of the questions, Julie, was, “Does it work? What are the pros and cons? Should I do this?” We do have a lot of providers that will say, “Oh, we can just strip your membranes.” What do you think? What do you say? Julie: Evidence Based Birth® used to have a great article on this. The one thing that I– okay, I love Evidence Based Birth®. Meagan: I think she still does. Julie: This is the thing though, they took away all of their articles and replaced them with just their podcast transcripts. I wish that they would have their regular blog articles still instead of just having the podcast and the transcripts which makes me a little bit sad because then you have to read through the whole thing in order to find what you are looking for. But I do love me some Evidence Based Birth®.Listen, Evidence Based Birth® does say that there is research that shows that starting regular membrane sweeps at 37 weeks of pregnancy and doing them, I think it's twice a week until delivery can shorten your pregnancy by one to two days. Personally, for me, that's not enough evidence to want to do them because you are getting 10+ cervical membrane sweeps. That is a lot for just a one or two-day shorter pregnancy. But for some people, that might be worth it to them. It's just one of those things where there is that evidence that shows, but this is the thing. Doing one membrane sweep at 40 weeks is not going to shorten your pregnancy by one or two days. It's not going to shorten your pregnancy at all. This is what the studies show. There might be some anecdotal things or your water might break prematurely and that might kickstart labor, but the one-off or the one or two membrane sweeps here and there is not statistically proven to shorten that. You have to start super early. Another thing I want to say–Meagan: Two days to have to avoid going in or having it massaged or swept twice a week? Julie: Yeah, one to two days. It would cause you so much pain and cramping and it would make you miserable. Meagan: That's the thing I wanted to say. Sometimes cervical sweeps or membrane sweeps can actually promote prodromal labor. Julie: Yeah. Meagan: Right? We're up there and we're disrupting the cervix and making it think that we need to start contracting, but our body is not really ready to labor so we're contracting, contracting, contracting, and getting exhausted, but labor is not happening. Then the next day, we're sweeping again or we're contracting again, but then really, we don't have a baby for 2-3 weeks. Right? We're exhausted when labor starts. Julie: Yeah. Meagan: Like you said, they can hurt. If our cervix is posterior, especially at 37 weeks, it's a lot more likely for our cervix to be posterior than it is anterior, they have to go in, back, and around to get to the cervix and sweep. It's not just in and out. That can cause a lot of discomfort that's really unnecessary. One of the questions is, “Does it possibly increase infection?” We are inserting something into the cervix and sweeping around, maybe yeah. Julie: Well, here's the thing though. I'm just skimming through this podcast article on Evidence Based Birth®'s website. If you want to find it, it's super easy. Just Google “Evidence Based Birth® Membrane Sweeping” and it will pop up right there for you. Meagan: They give you updated evidence on it. Don't they have it updated? It was in 2020. Julie: Yeah. It's in 2020 for sure. They break it down. There are 44 studies that they look at. Some of them show no difference. Some of them show 9% increase in artificial rupture of membranes. Premature and accidental. There are a whole bunch of varying interpretations here, but none of them are too conclusive as far as it causing that significant of a difference in when labor will start. Yes. Go and read it if you're curious. It's really good. Or you can listen to it, I guess as well. There is great stuff there. Meagan: Yeah. It's Episode 151 on Evidence Based Birth®. Yeah. Julie: Yeah. Meagan: Yeah. So I think just closing out this question as a whole, it's a personal preference. If you want to try something to encourage labor to begin on more of a natural basis, then it could be worth it. But for my personal suggestion to my doula clients and what I would do– again, I'm me. I'm not you. If I was being faced with a medical reason to induce or a concern, but I was going to be induced anyway, I would maybe try it. Does that make sense? If I was already going to be induced for a medical reason, then I would probably try it. Julie: One or two days might be beneficial for you at that point. Meagan: One or two days might be beneficial. If I can avoid going in and being hooked up to a Pit drip, then that might be better for me. That's one of my things. If I was facing an actual induction, I maybe would try it. For my actual birth, my midwife wanted to. She said, “Hey, why don't you come in and we'll strip your membranes?” I said, “Nope.” I didn't feel like I needed it. I don't know if it would weaken my membranes or accidentally rupture my membranes because that is a possible consequence. We can induce infection. We can accidentally break our water. We can weaken it as we separate it. So those types of things, for me, were not worth it. I was good to just keep going as I was. Julie: Yeah. VBA2CMeagan: Okay. What are some other questions? I know we have a couple more before we end. Julie: There's one about VBAC after two C-sections I know. Meagan: Oh yeah. Yes. Julie: Let's talk about that one. “Why do so many providers not support VBAC after two C-sections? What does the evidence say?” Meagan: Mhmm. Well, the evidence says that it is reasonable. Julie: Yeah. It is. Even ACOG says that it's reasonable. Meagan: Yep. Yep. Yep. Julie: I feel like this goes back to what we were talking to about before with that quote. I feel like most providers have just been told that it is not safe, so they say that it's not safe, so they don't do it and they don't support it. They throw around terms like, “Oh, it doubles your chance of uterine rupture. 50% chance of uterine rupture,” and things like that, right? We have the system that is just content on not wanting to have or support any evidence that will go contrary to the things that they've been taught. You see with the ARRIVE trial. We have been throwing evidence at providers that so many things reduce your chances of C-section for years. Right? Like waiting for labor to start on its own, laboring at home as long as possible, avoiding Pitocin, avoiding elective inductions, and all of those things. We've been throwing these things at providers for years about nice, safe, non-medical ways to avoid Cesareans and providers weren't interested in it all. Then all of a sudden, the ARRIVE trial comes out and they're like, “Oh, inducing at 39 weeks decreases Cesarean rates,” which, it doesn't by the way. As soon as providers are shown something that reinforces things they already know and do, they're like, “Oh, yeah. That's something I can get behind. I can do this because I already do this all of the time anyways. I already schedule inductions. I already do Pitocin. I already do these surgeries.”So when they're shown something that will reinforce their beliefs and things that they already know how to do, they're on board with it. But my gosh, you try and show them these nonmedical ways of improving birth outcomes and nobody wants to buy it because they're like, “Oh well, that's just–”. It's not how they've been trained. Meagan: It's not how they've been trained and sometimes they've seen a scary outcome. Julie: Yeah, of course. Meagan: Studies do say that women requesting for a trial of labor, a VBAC and having a VBAC, should absolutely be counseled and absolutely be offered an opportunity because we know that the success rate is as high of 71%, if not higher. 71% or higher, right? The uterine rupture rate is not much higher and if you compare VBAC after two Cesareans, maternal morbidity is really comparable to a repeat Cesarean. It's low. It's overall safe and reasonable to have a vaginal birth after two Cesareans. Julie: The risks to baby are similar. The risks to mom are actually higher in a repeat Cesarean like increased blood loss, pulmonary embolism, and maternal death is still incredibly low. Maternal death is incredibly low. We're talking about .000-something-percent, but when you're looking at it against VBAC, it's 10 times more likely for a mother to die during a Cesarean birth during a vaginal birth. I don't want to scare you because 10 times more likely sounds like a super scary number like, “Oh, you're twice as likely to have a stillbirth after you're 41 weeks,” but it's an incredibly small increase and incredibly small risk already. It's the same thing with this. It's an incredibly small risk but we don't talk about those things. Meagan: It's even harder to find evidence for vaginal birth after three or more Cesareans. That's where we don't have a lot of information. Most providers out there, to be honest, if you've had three Cesareans, it's going to be harder to find someone that will allow you to give birth vaginally. It's so hard. But it still doesn't mean that you're absolutely not a candidate or that it is a ginormous risk that completely risks everybody out. People do it and again, we were talking about it earlier. If it's a risk that you are willing to take and it's a comfortable risk for you, then that says something. Yeah. VBAC after two Cesareans is totally reasonable and totally possible. We've got lots of stories on the podcast. I'm living and walking proof. Julie: And lots of stories of VBAC after three or four Cesareans too. Meagan: Three or four, yeah. Yeah. It's totally possible. If a provider is trying to tell you that your risk of rupture really is 50-60%, then that is one– not a provider that you should probably be going to for a VBAC, but two– something that probably needs to be changed because maybe they just are really uneducated on the evidence. We're looking at just barely over 1%. It's really low. Julie: And not even that, there are several different studies. ACOG sites two studies in their practice bulletin and one of the studies shows no difference in rupture rates between VBAC and VBAC after two C-sections. The other one shows a slightly higher increase. I don't remember what the numbers are off of the top of my  head, but VBAC Link does have a blog on VBAC after two C-sections. You can probably just Google “VBA2C” and it will pull up in the first or second search results, but I'm sure that Paige will probably also link it in the show notes for us. So take a look at those statistics because even ACOG says that and if ACOG says something, why are we not behind that evidence that ACOG published? Meagan: I know. It's so funny because ACOG goes through a lot to publish these things, these articles and journals, but then we're not having providers– I'm going to say midwives too. We have midwives that don't follow these practices. We have providers that don't follow it. The evidence is there. They're showing that it's there. Why aren't we doing it? CPDI know we're almost out of time, but I just really want to talk about CPD a little bit because lately in our inbox, we have been seeing a lot of people being told that they hear the stories. They see the stories and they wish they could, but they were diagnosed with CPD and they can't. They can't get a baby out of their pelvis. For those who don't know what CPD is, it's cephalopelvic disproportion. It's just pretty much saying that your pelvis is too small. Yeah. Julie and I personally have both been diagnosed. Julie: Told that, yeah, in our op reports. Here's the thing about CPD. It's incredibly rare. It's incredibly rare and most of the time comes from growing up incredibly malnourished like in third-world countries so your bones grow in a deformed way or after a traumatic pelvic injury. It's very rare for a true CPD diagnosis to come from a normal, healthy person. You can't even diagnose it without pelvic imagery exam, like an actual scan. It's not even an x-ray. If you go, “My doctor gave me an x-ray and told me my pelvis is too small.” First of all, that's not the right way to diagnose it. Second of all, pelvises– your body is so pumped full of hormones that our pelvises expand. They literally move around as baby is coming down. Babies' heads overlap, the skulls and these bones in their heads overlap and squish together and smoosh together to come out of that pelvis. Your pelvis is opening in ways that it doesn't normally and babies' heads are smooshing together in ways that they never will again, so how are you even supposed to tell how much a pelvis is going to open and expand and how much a baby's head is going to smoosh together? I will die on that hill. Man, I will die on that hill. No. You were diagnosed with CPD and that's bull crap. That diagnosis was bull crap and unless you grew up in Africa or in these poor countries. All of these African women are still having babies. Sorry, that probably sounded a little bit bad. I didn't mean to say it like that. These women are still having babies even though they were malnourished. You have to have a severe, severe deformity from malnourishment. Rickets is the disease that comes along usually wth CPD or a traumatic pelvic injury like maybe you got in a car accident. Meagan: Thrown off a horse. Julie: Or got kicked hard in there somewhere sometime by something. I don't know. But it's just not as common as people are saying. It's not. Meagan: Right. Yeah. It's just overused. So if you have been told that, I hope that through the evidence– we're going to have links here in the show notes to all of these studies and things. I hope you know that your pelvis is perfect. Julie: Your pelvis is perfect. Let's make a shirt. “My pelvis is perfect.” Make it a shirt. Do it. “My pelvis is perfect. Hashtag why we VBAC.” Meagan: Right. Okay, well thank you for being here. Thanks everybody for submitting your questions. We're going to keep doing these. We're going to bring the questions and answers. We're going to talk about them. We're going to talk about some of the statistics and the evidence behind some of this. So yeah. Make sure to watch out on our Instagram if you haven't followed us on Instagram, and I'll make sure to let you know when the next Q&A with Julie and I will be. Julie: If you're in Utah looking for a birth photographer, come and find me. My Instagram is @juliefrancombirth or you can find me at www.juliefrancom.com. I would love to support you and I would love it even more if Meagan and I could support you. So reach out, we'll give you a deal. We'll hook you up because we love being in the birth space together. Meagan: Yes, we do. We just got our first one the other day and it was awesome. Julie: It was awesome. ClosingWould you like to be a guest on the podcast? Tell us about your experience at thevbaclink.com/share. For more information on all things VBAC including online and in-person VBAC classes, The VBAC Link blog, and Meagan's bio, head over to thevbaclink.com. Congratulations on starting your journey of learning and discovery with The VBAC Link.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-vbac-link/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Join us on this episode of the Birth Journeys as Kelli shared her journey through IVF and all of the things she learned on that journey. She also shares how a procedure she had in her 20's had an impact on her birth years later. This episode covers IVF, Induction, LEEP procedure, emergency d&c postpartum, and blood transfusion.

PODCAST EPISODE - KELLI MOORE - NAVIGATING THE MEDICAL SYSTEM - #97 Join your host Sophia as she interviews Kelli Moore, CEO and Co-Founder of Soulfire Productions, Host of the top-rated podcast: The Naked Mama, and Co-Host of the beloved relationships podcast, OK, Babe. They discuss topics that include IVF, prodromal labor, back labor, Leep procedures and cervical scarring, hemorrhage, cranial sacral, tongue-tie, retained placenta, postpartum mood disorders, sleep regression, and navigating fear, intuition, and the medical system. Kelli has been the good girl, the people pleaser, and she's followed all the rules. She worked for years in a male-dominated sports television industry, only to deal with 15 years of chronic illness and finally reach her breaking point. Today, she pours her heart and soul into helping women set themselves free from expectations and the stories that hold them hostage in their own lives. She asks us all to seek deeper within and become the version of ourselves we've kept buried for so long. If you are ready to be challenged, think outside the box, and finally see yourself clearly, Kelli is here for a radically honest conversation to support you and your audience.  Kelli's Recommendations: •Birthing Instincts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/birthing-instincts/id1552816683 Connect with Kelli: IG: @kellitmoore •Website: https://kellimoore.co •Soulfire Productions: https://soulfireproductionsco.com •The Naked Mama Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-naked-mama/id1410824985 •OK, Babe Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ok-babe/id1497534094 Listen here: IG: linktree in bio FB: https://anchor.fm/bornwild/episodes/97--Kelli-Moore---Navigating-the-Medical-System-e2avb4f @sophiabirth @bayareahomebirth @bornwildmidwifery Stay Wild

Today I sat down with my amazing family doctor and discussed how my HPV completely cleared doing an experimental treatment. I won't lie, it was scary going against the normal treatment of a LEEP but I knew if this worked, that I could be a voice for other women healing HPV. The LEEP has side effects a lot of doctors don't discuss and we go into a few of them in this episode. If you're local to Chattanooga, TN, I see Dr. Hitchcock at Hitchcock MD. You can also find him at @hitchcock.md on IG --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/strivingformore/support

Do you want to excel in your transition from an individual contributor to a successful manager? Are you looking for the key to achieving improved leadership skills and a smooth transition into management? Join us as guest speaker Kameko Leung shares the solution to unlocking your potential and successfully navigating the challenges of becoming a new manager.In this episode, you will be able to:Unravel the keys to tackle issues encountered by rising managers via commendable communication and remote work strategies.Evolve from being stellar contributors to brilliant managers in your own merit.Understand the LEEP program, foster skill development, and practice core managerial abilities.Witness the power of non-linear career progression and its impact on personal development.Master the art of effective communication, constructive feedback, and building a resilient team in a virtual ecosystem.Meet Kameko Leung, a celebrated name in the world of talent development. With an impressive 10-year stint in learning and development, she wears multiple hats - a leader, a trainer, a facilitator, and above all, a coach to new managers. At Zillow, a leading real estate tech company based in Seattle, Kameko meticulously designs development programs for managers, enriching them with the necessary skills for effective remote management. Her enterprise, Bloom Mindset Consulting, further solidifies her commitment to nurture leaders across the globe.Connect with Andy Storch here:WebsiteLinkedInJoin us in the Talent Development Think Tank Community!Connect with Kameko Leung:LinkedIn

In this episode of Flanigan's Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with William Boyd, Michael J. Klein Chair, Professor of Law at UCLA School of Law, and Professor at UCLA's Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. He is also a Faculty Co-Director of the Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, and Project Lead for the Governors' Climate and Forests Task Force (GCF).William and Ted discuss his background, growing up in South Carolina. He received his B.A. from University of North Carolina, his M.A. and Ph.D. from UC Berkeley's Energy and Resources Group, and his J.D. from Stanford Law School. He then moved to Washington D.C. and worked for the World Resources Institute, and was previously a Professor of Law and a John H. Schultz Energy Law Fellow at University of Colorado Boulder School of Law. His primary research and teaching interests are in energy law and regulation, climate change law and policy, and environmental law. He continues to be actively involved in climate, energy, and environmental policy matters at multiple levels of governance. Since 2009, he has served as the Project Lead for the Governors' Climate and Forests Task Force (GCF), a unique subnational collaboration of 38 states and provinces from Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Spain, and the United States that is working to develop regulatory frameworks to reduce emissions from deforestation and land use. Boyd is also the founding Director of the Laboratory for Energy & Environmental Policy innovation (LEEP), a policy innovation lab based in Boulder, Colorado that works with partners around the world to develop and support real-time policy experiments, establish robust networks for learning and exchange, and contribute to effective and durable policy outcomes.

In this episode, Jen goes into detail about how what is going on around you in the world can impact your labor, birth, and postpartum times. She also touches on how her LEEP procedure prior to pregnancy impacted her labor and birth in a way she did not expect. Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes only with no intention of giving or replacing any medical advice. I, Kiona Nessenbaum, am not a licensed medical professional. All advice that is given on the podcast is from the personal experience of the storytellers. All medical or health-related questions should be directed to your licensed provider. The resources I mention in this episode are listed below:Wee Welcome Doula & Lactation-Jen Hamilton: https://www.weedoulaseattle.com/ Jet City Doulas: https://jetcitydoulas.com/ Parent Trust of Washington: https://www.parenttrust.org/ Penny Simkin Childbirth Education Classes: https://www.pennysimkin.com/childbirth-classes/ Spinning Babies: https://www.spinningbabies.com/ PEPS: https://www.peps.org/ Families of Color Seattle (FOCS): https://www.focseattle.org/ Definitions:Sacroiliac (SI) Pain in Pregnancy Hormone Panel Blood TestsLoop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure (LEEP) Oligohydramnios (Low Amniotic Fluid) Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC)Cryosurgery Support the showThank you so much for tuning in to this episode! If you liked this podcast episode, don't hesitate to share it and leave a review. It really helps bring the podcast up for others to find and listen to as well. If you want to share your own birth story or experience on the Birth As We Know It Podcast, head over to https://kionanessenbaum.com or fill out this Guest Request Form. Support the podcast and become a part of the BAWKI Community by becoming a Patron on the Birth As We Know It Patreon Page!

On our second mailbag episode, Dr. Nathan Fox invites OBGYN Dr. Stephanie Melka to answer some of the top questions from our listeners. They discuss LEEP (loop excision electrocautery procedure) and its risk for pregnant women; whether testing is necessary for women who would want to keep a fetus with a known genetic disorder; how to know if a doctor is good; a condition called android pelvis (referring to the way the pelvic bones are structured); and whether information is available to understand why some women don't go into labor.

In episode #144, Danielle shares her personal story of loss. Danielle experienced the miscarriage of her first pregnancy at home, around 9 weeks gestation. She found out (years later) that her loss was related to a blighted ovum, and since this time in 2016 she has experienced several other setbacks including a burst cyst and fibroids. Based on her wants and needs following her miscarriage, Danielle founded Tiny Hearts Remembered - a nonprofit organization with the mission of decreasing the negative effects of pregnancy loss. We discuss the importance of education, support, and advocacy related to pregnancy loss, as well as how the medical response to miscarriage can create feelings of loneliness and confusion. Topics Discussed: loss of first pregnancy, high HCG levels, spotting, pain in early pregnancy, miscarriage at home, blighted ovum, nightmares, March of Dimes, LEEP procedure (Loop electrosurgical excision procedure), burst cyst, fibroids, memorializing miscarriage ‌ CONNECT WITH DANIELLE - www.tinyheartsrememberedinc.org instagram.com/tinyheartsrememberedinc https://www.facebook.com/TinyHeartsRememberedInc Tiny Hearts Remembered has a Facebook group and hosts a support group once/month. https://www.facebook.com/groups/2063146947143423 ‌ MISCARRIAGE HOPE DESK RESOURCES- Miscarriage Hope Desk aims to help women struggling miscarriage, pregnancy loss and recurrent miscarriages (RPL), by providing the following resources- Library of Articles, found here- https://miscarriagehopedesk.com/library/understanding-why/ Instagram Community- https://instagram.com/miscarriagehopedesk Facebook Community- https://www.facebook.com/groups/1617075958466247/ Free Miscarriage Lab Checklist- https://miscarriagehopedesk.com/labs Free Weekly Newsletter- http://miscarriagehopedesk.com/newsletter FREE MEAL PLANS Do you need help getting healthy, tasty meals on the table? Check out our sponsor Prep Dish, PrepDish.com/mhd to get 2 weeks FREE! SHOW NOTES- https://miscarriagehopedesk.com/podcast/ Get a FREE Miscarriage Lab Testing Checklist- http://MiscarriageHopeDesk.com/labs

Today's podcast is going to be about HPV and why it is that women are having such a hard time clearing this virus and getting it to negative. This just so happens to be something that I've been paying attention to and helping women with for over 23 years. I've accumulated a lot of experience in this topic through research and observing my patients and I really feel this information needs to be out there in the world because so many women around the world are struggling to protect themselves from the HPV virus. So, today I want to focus on why this virus is turning up positive for so many women, and what women can do to help protect themselves and prevent this virus from causing abnormal cells and cancer. The HPV Virus The HPV virus is a sexually transmitted virus that has over 150 different strains and some of those (at least 13 that we know of) are associated with cancer of the cervix, vagina, as well as anal and oral cancer. The HPV virus can also cause penile, anal, or oral cancer in men, so men are becoming more aware and interested in protecting themselves. Today I'm going to focus on women because women are more often being tested for HPV. In fact, that's part of the reason why more women are finding out that they are positive for HPV - simply because doctors are testing for it more now than ever before. In the past, we only tested for it when there were abnormal cells on the cervix. Now most doctors, around the world, are testing for HPV when women go in for a pap smear, whether abnormal cells are present or not. It is very important to get pap smears regularly - I want to be clear about that. Thanks to pap smears, and biopsies, we're able to identify when cells on the cervix are being affected by the HPV virus, even before it gets to the point of cancer. That's good news because that means, if we can catch it early, we can be proactive and prevent it from progressing and causing more damage. According to standard gynecological guidelines, if HPV is positive, but there are not abnormal cells, or mildly abnormal cells, your doctor is likely to say: “let's wait and recheck to see if the cells become more abnormal.” That is because a study from over 10 years ago showed that 90% of women are able to clear the virus within 2 years without abnormal cells or cancer developing.  If abnormal cells develop, or if they become more abnormal (closer to cancer cells), then the doctor will likely say “let's do a biopsy (colposcopy)” to double check the severity. If the cells are indeed more advanced (CIN2 or 3 is common nomenclature), the doctor will recommend removing the abnormal cells using a LEEP (or what is referred to as LLETZ in some countries) or conization procedure (a surgical procedure to remove part of the cervix).  Treatment Against the HPV Virus  Unfortunately, in today's conventional medicine, there isn't a way to kill the virus. Even when the abnormal cells are removed, the HPV virus can continually cause more abnormal cells. Oftentimes women find themselves in a repetitive process of diagnostic and treatment procedures, in some cases for years or decades of their lives.  Now, I can tell you, based on research and my 23 years of clinical experience helping patients with HPV, there are effective ways to prevent the virus from causing abnormal cells using natural substances (nutrients, herbs, mushrooms) to strengthen and reset the immune system and our body's ability to fend off the virus. Dietary changes (such as to decrease sugar intake and increase antioxidants), as well as certain nutrients and supplements at clinical doses, and herbs and mushrooms, have been shown to help prevent HPV from causing abnormal cells and from advancing to cancer. In this episode I'm not going into detail about those approaches, although you can find references and resources below if you'd like to learn more.  Much of the research on natural products and approaches is aimed at using specific substances that are either directly antiviral and/or are known to improve immune function, decrease oxidative stress and inflammation, and provide nutrients important for healthy cellular function. This makes sense and studies have shown this approach to be effective.  The human body, after all, has the ability to clear the HPV virus on its own as shown in the study that 90% of women will clear this virus within two years of it testing positive.  Because I work with women who have persistent HPV – they have had it longer than two years – many of whom have already been trying natural approaches, such as diet changes and mushroom extracts (AHCC), in addition to avoiding commonly known factors that increase risk, such as smoking and birth control pills, I had to start asking… what else needs to be addressed?  Why is it that 10% of women are not clearing the virus? (Keep in mind that percentage may be higher now.) If we can learn from the 10% who are not clearing the virus, then we can help them to get into that 90% percent that are clearing the virus. This is question I've had in mind while developing my strategy and protocol to help women over the past couple of decades. I have been able to identify the most common reasons why women are not clearing it and how to help them successfully.   Reasons Why Your Body is Not Clearing The Virus Stress  The most common reason why women are not clearing the virus, even after making diet changes and taking the right supplements, is their exposure to stress. It has been demonstrated that when women are under more stress (psychological, emotional, and/or physical stress, including infections, like COVID) they are more likely to have HPV be persistently positive. In fact, when our bodies are under constant stress, our immune system is affected and isn't able to work as it should, and we are more likely to get sick from any kind of virus or bacteria we are exposed to. In research this is referred to as “immune dysfunction.” In this modern world we are all constantly exposed to stress, from being a student, our careers, families and relationships. Everything that is going on in our lives will likely cause us stress, let alone the additional stress of the pandemic and/or abusive relationships and trauma.  So to me it is not enough to just say: “decrease your stress.” That thought is stressful in itself. Plus finding out HPV is positive is stressful.  To me, we have to think beyond that. We have to figure out not just how to reduce our stress exposures, but how to recover from stress WHILE STILL STRESSED.  That's why I put my mind to figuring out how to help people recover from our exposures and reset our immune system, nervous system and neurotransmitters, hormones and digestion, so our bodies can get back to performing as best as they can. This is where my Stress Recovery Protocol can really help. Throughout my years of practice, I have researched, lectured, and written books on how to effectively recover and become resilient to stress, while still living our daily lives. And this is not a one size fits all kind of thing. We need to understand how stress is affecting you specifically and how your body responds to stress. This includes your cortisol and adrenaline levels, adrenal gland function, as well as your sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. These are all affected differently in each person.  Vaginal Biome The next reason why your body is not able to clear the virus on its own is a disruption in the microbiome. When we think of the microbiome, we generally think of the gut, however it is important to know that we have bacteria and other microbes living in and with us in all areas of our bodies, including the vaginal area. And they do more than just hang out! They help our immune system protect us from microbes (including viruses like HPV) that can cause trouble. They produce substances, for example, the predominant bacteria in the vagina, Lactobacillus, make lactic acid, which protects us from infections.  We want this healthy balance of microbes that help protect us because if they are disrupted, we become susceptible. Research now shows that when the cervicovaginal microenvironment (CVM) is disrupted, women are more susceptible to HPV and abnormal cells.  So we need to think about what are the things that disrupt our biome? This way we can avoid what we can, and we can also work to restore a healthy vaginal biome.  Back to stress! Stress will disrupt this vaginal biome. Also, different kinds of chemicals and toxins (like pesticides in our food and chemicals in spermicides), as well as medications (like antibiotics) will get disrupt the vaginal biome and subsequently affect our immune system's ability to fend off HPV. Stress also disrupts the digestion – decreasing the ability to digest food, increasing intestinal permeability (leaky gut) and inflammation, and disrupting the gut bacteria. And studies show that the gut biome affects the vaginal biome.  Now, just because your biome gets disrupted doesn't mean it's going to stay that way. There are ways to bring that biome back to balance and I can show you how.  Gut Health Another thing that I see affects the body's ability to get rid of this virus is leaky gut. Leaky gut is when the intestinal lining cells are not as healthy as they should be and so our digestive system is not capable of absorbing the necessary nutrients from the foods we eat. Moreover, the foods we are eating end up “leaking” through the intestinal wall (without being digested) and our immune system (70% of the immune system surrounds the intestines) reacts in an effort to protect us, which causes inflammation that can spread to all different parts of our bodies.  We then start developing food sensitivities which delayed inflammatory responses, sometimes even to healthy foods, and our immune system starts trying to protect us from them. The cause of leaky gut is almost always the lack of stress recovery and an imbalanced gut biome, which can be caused by certain foods like gluten, as well as toxins and medications.  Nutrient Deficiencies When our bodies are nutrient depleted, including if we don't eat enough protein, it is harder for our immune system to get rid of the virus and for our body to make new healthy cells. Nutrient deficiencies are caused by leaky gut, as well as restricted diets (including plant-based diets), medications, such as birth control pills (which are synthetic hormones), and stress without enough recovery. Hormone Imbalances Hormones imbalances are also a reason why our bodies struggle to fight off the HPV virus. When estrogen is either too high, and not being detoxified well, or too low (post-menopausal, for example), both are associated with increased risk of HPV. Other hormone imbalances can also play a role, such as low thyroid function, elevated insulin and blood sugar levels, as well as cortisol that is too high or too low. Toxin exposure Another reason why women are not clearing this virus as quickly is toxin exposure. I'm finding this more and more in people who have been exposed to mold toxins. If there are mold toxins in your body - if you think you've been exposed to mold in the building where you live or work - then we need to address this because mold toxins can suppress your immune function and make you susceptible to all different kinds of infections, imbalance the microbiome, cause leaky gut, and make you susceptible to HPV.  There are many other toxins we're exposed to in our food, water, in our homes, our personal care products, cookware, and furniture, so it's really important to go through a process of identifying what toxins have you been exposed to and help your body get those toxins out. That's why I developed a Detox Program, to help you detoxify without making you feel worse. Methylation Issues Lastly, one other reason why it's hard for women to clear HPV is because of what's called deficient methylation. Methylation centers around how well our bodies can use B vitamins in the biochemical processes that these vitamins are involved in. Methylation is also used for many purposes in the human body including detoxification, making healthy cells and neurotransmitters, as well as breaking down neurotransmitters and protecting our DNA.  So, if your body is not able to effectively use B vitamins to protect you and make healthy cells, then you become more susceptible to HPV causing abnormal cells. Methylation is negatively affected by several of the other things on this list, including stress, inflammation, toxins, and nutrient deficiencies. You can learn more about efficient methylation and the MTHFR gene variation here.  How To Get Rid of HPV So, ultimately, it's by addressing the reasons we are not clearing the virus, that we are actually able to get rid of the virus. That's what I see time and time again in my practice and program. Imagine that! When we give our bodies what they need in order to protect you from HPV, you can clear this virus just like the 90% of people mentioned in the research.  And, at the same time, you'll be able to move on with your life, have better energy, mood, focus, sleep and less likely to have any other health issues.  It's not enough to go after the virus with vitamins, herbs and mushroom extracts. We need to dig in to the reasons you're susceptible in the first place - the root causes of why the virus is still in your body.  The women who work with me to address those causes end up not only reversing abnormal cells, but getting HPV to negative and keeping it negative. I've worked with patients over 15 years ago who have been able to keep HPV negative all this time because we got to the underlying cause of the virus being persistent in their bodies. I hope all this really helps you get a better understanding of why HPV might be hanging around longer than it should be and also to feel empowered, optimistic and hopeful that there are ways you can protect yourself and help your body fend off this virus for good.  If you are really committed to erasing this virus from your life forever, you can sign up for my Say Goodbye to HPV 12-Week Program here. If you're constantly feeling gut discomfort or digestive issues like bloating, gas, constipation or diarrhea you may want to sing up for my Heal Leaky Gut Program where I teach you how to heal leaky gut with my proven protocol. Keep in mind that 50% of people with leaky gut, have zero symptoms, so the only way to know for sure is to do the food sensitivity panel I recommend. If you're interested in a safe and effective detoxification that will actually make you feel better and that you can do without affecting your daily routine, you can sign up for my New 14-Day Detox Program here. It includes The Total Detox Support Kit with a Total Detox Protein Powder (your choice of plant-based or collagen based), Antioxidant Support Capsules, and Complete Amino Detox Capsules. If you're ready to fully heal your adrenal glands and rebalance your neurotransmitters, you can sign up for my Stress Warrior Program here. Also, if you want to learn more about how to recover from stress so that you can get back to feeling your best, you may want to read my book Master Your Stress Reset Your Health.  In the book, I also share the quiz I developed to help you identify how stress has affected you specifically by knowing your Stress Type. You can also take this Stress Type Quiz online. If you'd like me to help you one-on-one by phone or video, from anywhere in the world, to review your symptoms, and what your body is trying to tell you, and to have my guidance to implement my protocol, you can schedule a comprehensive or priority consultation with me.  I think of myself as a health detective, reviewing complex cases to identify what has been missed, and then helping you create a strategic plan for healing. You can set up a one-on-one appointment with me here. We're here to help you!   Connect with Dr. Doni:    Facebook HTTPS://FACEBOOK.COM/DRDONIWILSON   Instagram HTTPS://INSTAGRAM.COM/DRDONIWILSON   YouTube HTTPS://YOUTUBE.COM/USER/DONIWILSONND   Weekly Wellness Wisdom Newsletter: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/WWW     -   Books and Resources:    Order My New Book: https://www.amazon.com/Master-Your-Stress-Reset-Health/dp/1953295576   Stress Warrior Book (FREE)  HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/STRESSWARRIOR      Stress Warrior Stress Resiliency Facebook Group (FREE)  HTTPS://FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/STRESSWARRIOR     7-day Stress Reset (FREE)  HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/STRESS-RESET     HPV & Cervical Dysplasia Guide (FREE)  HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/HPV-AND-CERVICAL-DYSPLASIA-GUIDE/     -   Personalized Solutions:    If you'd like to meet with Dr. Doni one-on-one for your health, request a Health Breakthrough Session: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/BREAKTHROUGH     To get an idea of more comprehensive options, read about Dr. Doni's Signature Consultation Programs: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/SERVICES   Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are product links and affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission at no cost to you. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.  

Today’s episode is about women’s health and specifically - cervical health with Denell Barbara Randall. Denell is a women’s Integrative Health Coach and wellness educator + guide specializing in cervical health and pelvic well-being. Her work focuses on utilizing habit and behavior change through lifestyle medicine to support the cervix, and body as a whole, to heal and regenerate all on its own. Denell works to help women holistically heal abnormal paps and deepen their relationship with their beautiful bodies. She has her Master's in Integrative Health and is the author of the book Informed, Aware, Empowered: A Self-Guided Journey to Clear Paps. Her website, CervicalWellness.com, hosts many free and paid resources to help guide women on the path of healing. A special gift to our listeners! Enjoy 25% of Denell's course Cervical Wellness Online (Evergreen) with coupon code CW25GIFT https://cervicalwellnessonline.members-only.online/evergreen We talk about the following and so much more: ✅ Why there’s a revolution happening in women’s health ✅ Some of the common reasons why so many people have hormonal imbalances today? ✅ What does HPV & Cervical dysplasia even mean? What is the cervix and what's being affected by this diagnosis? ✅ How does this happen? How do your past lifestyle, behavior, and choices lead to this? And - what can women do now? ✅ What are some tools/herbs/practices that people can use to help themselves heal? ✅ Why do you talk about doing work in one’s inner world? What are the messages that the cervix is sending me through this diagnosis? ✅ What is the LEEP? Do women who have HPV need another colposcopy? What are the best next steps? You can connect with her on Instagram at @cervicalwellness If you'd like to check out my new YouTube channel where I talk about some of the highlights I've learned about intuition, intention, and personal development, you can subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCEt1RNc-eummCqiPC6-AEQ If you’d like to join the waitlist for my next coaching program, sign up HERE: https://www.yasmeenturayhi.com/gateways-to-awakening/ Please tag us and tell us what you loved! You can follow @Gateways_To_Awakening on Instagram or Facebook if you’d like to stay connected.

Today’s episode is about women’s health and specifically - cervical health with Denell Barbara Randall. Denell is a women’s Integrative Health Coach and wellness educator + guide specializing in cervical health and pelvic well-being. Her work focuses on utilizing habit and behavior change through lifestyle medicine to support the cervix, and body as a whole, to heal and regenerate all on its own. Denell works to help women holistically heal abnormal paps and deepen their relationship with their beautiful bodies. She has her Master's in Integrative Health and is the author of the book Informed, Aware, Empowered: A Self-Guided Journey to Clear Paps. Her website, CervicalWellness.com, hosts many free and paid resources to help guide women on the path of healing. A special gift to our listeners! Enjoy 25% of Denell's course Cervical Wellness Online (Evergreen) with coupon code CW25GIFT https://cervicalwellnessonline.members-only.online/evergreen We talk about the following and so much more: ✅ Why there’s a revolution happening in women’s health ✅ Some of the common reasons why so many people have hormonal imbalances today? ✅ What does HPV & Cervical dysplasia even mean? What is the cervix and what's being affected by this diagnosis? ✅ How does this happen? How do your past lifestyle, behavior, and choices lead to this? And - what can women do now? ✅ What are some tools/herbs/practices that people can use to help themselves heal? ✅ Why do you talk about doing work in one’s inner world? What are the messages that the cervix is sending me through this diagnosis? ✅ What is the LEEP? Do women who have HPV need another colposcopy? What are the best next steps? You can connect with her on Instagram at @cervicalwellness If you'd like to check out my new YouTube channel where I talk about some of the highlights I've learned about intuition, intention, and personal development, you can subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCEt1RNc-eummCqiPC6-AEQ If you’d like to join the waitlist for my next coaching program, sign up HERE: https://www.yasmeenturayhi.com/gateways-to-awakening/ Please tag us and tell us what you loved! You can follow @Gateways_To_Awakening on Instagram or Facebook if you’d like to stay connected.

Is bigger always better? The “use it or lose it” myth needs to die. Vaginal atrophy is a hormonal issue. Are orgasms good for you? Can I use vaginal estrogen more than twice a week? Tips and tricks for vaginal estrogen. Can you still get BV and yeast infections after menopause? Painful sex and low libido after a LEEP procedure. Hi I have a question! I just saw my gynecologist , she has me on vaginal estrogen. I asked if I can go on the estrogen patch she advised me that I don't need to be on the patch that the tabs are what I need! I'm sorry I should have said explained i had a hysterectomy in my 40's they left my ovaries a year later I was told I was in full menopause! I'm 60 now and only started vaginal estrogen a year ago due to me complaining about painful intercourse. Should I also be on the estrogen patch. I'm only 22 and suspecting a stage 3 prolapse . I'm pretty sure I've unintentionally caused it due to straining on the toilet,etc. I wanted to know- can I still get pregnant? And can my prolapse heal itself? Who needs systemic estrogen versus only vaginal estrogen? The multiple reasons we are undertreating menopause. I'm a 62 year old guy. Married to a beautiful soul for 40 years. I'd love to get her your book. But, I don't wanna come off as being “that guy.” Do you have any suggestions? Did you get the You Are Not Broken Book Yet? https://amzn.to/3p18DfK Join my membership to get these episodes ASAP when they are created and without advertisement and even listen live to the interviews and episodes. www.kellycaspersonmd.com/membership