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10 min read<\/p>\n10 min read<\/p>\n
As a health journalist who\u2019s spent the past 25 years digging into everything from hormones to heart health, I might be someone you\u2019d think would have a pretty good handle on important facts. <\/p>\n
But while interviewing over 100 of the country\u2019s leading experts to write a 704-page book on women\u2019s health (true story: I woke up from my colonoscopy drilling the doctor about the differences between the female and male colon, and how women might metabolize anesthesia differently than men!), I lost count of how many times I got off a call thinking, Wait\u2014how did I not know this?<\/p>\n
These days, we\u2019re talking about previously stigmatized topics more than ever. Once-taboo subjects like menopause<\/a>, painful sex<\/a>, and hysterectomies<\/a> are popping up on social media feeds and in dinner party conversations. Google search trends for terms like \u201cvaginal estrogen\u201d and \u201cperimenopause\u201d are up. This is great. Yet in that influx of info, it\u2019s easy for some crucial stuff to be overlooked. <\/p>\n We\u2019re not just talking about tidbits that\u2019ll help you score points and praise on trivia night. Instead, these are the kind of truths that could change how you understand your body, how you talk to your doctors, and, perhaps most important, how you advocate for your health. <\/p>\n #1 Take a virtual tour inside the human body and you\u2019ll find plenty of organs named after men. The fallopian tubes (located between your ovaries and your uterus, where fertilization happens if you get pregnant) honor the Italian priest and anatomist Gabriele Fallopio. Bartholin\u2019s glands (sitting on either side of your vagina and secreting the fluid that you experience as \u201cwetness\u201d when sexually aroused) are named after Danish anatomist Caspar Bartholin. Skene\u2019s glands (on both sides of your urethra, helping lubricate your vagina during sex) are named after Scottish gynecologist Alexander Skene.<\/p>\n The New Rules of Women’s Health: Your Guide to Thriving at Every Age<\/p>\n These are known as eponyms, anatomical names meant to celebrate the scientists who \u201cdiscovered\u201d or described the structure. Sometimes, these guys didn\u2019t even have anything to do with the discovery; they simply managed to get their names in the anatomy books. Now, a new generation of anatomists are calling for a change: replacing eponyms with anatomical terminology that\u2019s descriptive. Think uterine tubes instead of fallopian tubes, greater vestibular glands instead of Bartholin\u2019s glands, and paraurethral glands instead of Skene\u2019s glands.<\/p>\n These names aren\u2019t just more clear; using them also feels like a small but powerful way to move away from medicine\u2019s old guard and use more progressive language when it comes to our bodies. \u201cEponyms often lack descriptive value and reflect historical biases in medical naming practices,\u201d says Amanda J. Meyer, PhD, a senior lecturer in anatomy and pathology at James Cook University. \u201cMoving toward descriptive terms based on structure or function promotes clarity, inclusivity, and equity.\u201d Plus, the modern names are easier to learn and remember, which makes female anatomy more understandable. This can help all of us (even those who don\u2019t go to med school) have a better picture of what\u2019s going on from head to toe.<\/p>\n #2 Okay, now we\u2019re getting into the nitty-gritty. For as long as I can remember, I\u2019ve been peeing immediately after sex. No post-coital cuddling for me; I make a beeline for the bathroom because it was drilled into me that this was the best way to prevent a UTI. Turns out this habit (along with other advice, like wiping front to back) may not be necessary\u2014and may even shift our focus away from real, effective solutions. \u201cThere\u2019s some data that shows urinating after vaginal penetrative sex can be helpful, but it\u2019s probably not the kind of crucial UTI-prevention tactic that most of us have been taught it is,\u201d says urologist and sexual medicine specialist Ashley Winter<\/a>, MD. <\/p>\n As for wiping back to front, it doesn’t definitively cause UTIs. \u201cWipe back to front, front to back, it doesn\u2019t matter,\u201d says Dr. Winter. <\/p>\n In fact, focusing on old advice like this can distract us from looking at the underlying causes of many UTIs\u2014like low estrogen, which is why these painful infections can become more common in perimenopause and menopause. It can also prevent us from talking about effective interventions (like using vaginal estrogen) when appropriate. <\/p>\n Confession time: I still pee after sex (what can I say\u2014old habits die hard). But I also feel happy knowing that if I do get a UTI, it likely wasn\u2019t because of my \u201cpoor hygiene.\u201d Plus, I know exactly what to talk to my doctor about as both a possible treatment and a plan to prevent future UTIs: vaginal estrogen<\/a>. And hopefully, the FDA\u2019s recent decision to remove<\/a> the \u201cblack box warning\u201d on this therapy (the one estrogen product most experts agree should not have had a safety warning in the first place) will translate to more of us using it.<\/p>\n Start The Convo Whether you\u2019re wondering about supps or screenings, bring it up with your doc.<\/p>\n #3 Many of us consider ourselves on it when it comes to breast cancer prevention if we\u2019re getting our annual mammograms starting at age 40. I thought that was all I needed to do to stay on top of my breast health. Then I interviewed Lisa Larkin<\/a>, MD, a breast cancer survivor and women\u2019s health specialist, who asked me if a clinician had ever done a risk assessment test. Um, nope.<\/p>\n \u201cOur messaging about breast cancer risk has been fundamentally wrong for decades now,\u201d Dr. Larkin says. \u201cWe tell women to get their annual mammogram starting at age 40, but we don\u2019t help them understand their individual risk and then identify higher-risk individuals and talk to them about what they can be doing from a lifestyle and screening perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n Dr. Larkin says all women can DIY this calculation using the online Tyrer-Cuzick Risk Assessment Calculator<\/a>\u2014the one Olivia Munn<\/a> talks about because her result prompted a breast MRI, which showed aggressive breast cancer in both breasts even after a clear mammogram report. It\u2019s a detailed questionnaire that assesses your likelihood of developing breast cancer throughout your lifetime, taking into account your age, three generations of family history, genetic factors (such as a known BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation), menstrual history, reproductive history (like age at first live birth and hormone therapy use), personal medical history, and more.<\/p>\n I took this test and brought my results to my annual gyn visit so my score could factor into my breast cancer screening plan. Tell your doctor, \u201cI learned about this risk assessment. Here\u2019s my score. I\u2019d like your help interpreting the results because I\u2019d like to know if I need a breast MRI in addition to my annual mammogram.\u201d #4 If you live in a larger body, it can feel like the only thing your doctor cares about is the number on the scale. In fact, up to 80 percent of people with obesity say they\u2019ve experienced weight stigma in health care settings, according to one study published in the journal Health Expectations. For some patients, that stigma and fear of stepping on the scale can keep them from going to the doctor, even when they do need care.<\/p>\n But that number is just one factor of health that doctors should consider at health care visits. While society and even many clinicians would still have us believe that thin is \u201chealthy\u201d and fat is \u201cunhealthy,\u201d the truth is that weight isn\u2019t a good gauge of someone\u2019s health, says Jennifer L. Gaudiani<\/a>, MD, an eating disorders specialist and weight stigma expert. \u201cI see patients all the time who are in larger bodies, and they are equally healthy in all measurable ways to patients who are thinner,\u201d she says. \u201cWhat\u2019s most important is for everyone, at every body size, to feel worthy.\u201d<\/p>\n If you\u2019re tired of the weight talk at health care visits, ask the person booking the appointment how the practice approaches weight and health. You can say, \u201cI\u2019m looking for a doctor who provides weight-neutral care and doesn\u2019t focus solely on weight loss.\u201d Once you get to the appointment, request not to be weighed (yes, you can do this!). If it\u2019s necessary, ask to step on the scale at the end of your visit so it doesn\u2019t derail the rest of your appointment. Don\u2019t think any of this applies to you because you\u2019re considered a \u201cnormal weight\u201d patient? You can ask the same questions and challenge the same assumptions to do your part to help shift our system to a more weight-neutral one. Every time each of us speaks up, we chip away at bias.<\/p>\n #5 When you think about your biggest health risk, what comes to mind? For most women, it\u2019s cancer. But heart disease is actually our number one killer, and awareness around this has dropped, from 65 percent in 2009 to about 44 percent in 2019, according to a study<\/a> published in Circulation. Even more ugh-inducing? Too many health care pros still overlook the chance of heart disease, and they rarely connect it to one of the most important risk factors for cardio problems: gynecologic health history.<\/p>\n That\u2019s right: Things you thought were bygone issues can reveal a lot about your heart now. One of the biggies is pregnancy complications. Conditions such as gestational diabetes<\/a>, gestational hypertension, and preeclampsia put you at greater risk for heart problems later on, even if they resolved after you gave birth. \u201cPregnancy is considered your heart\u2019s first stress test,\u201d says cardiologist Jayne Morgan, MD. \u201cTo nourish a fetus, blood volume increases by 30 to 50 percent, which means the heart has to pump more per minute, essentially working faster and harder throughout pregnancy.\u201d Complications during this time may be a sign that your heart felt the strain of this work, which could signal problems down the road.<\/p>\n Women who have frequent hot flashes can have an increased risk of heart attacks.<\/p>\n Hot flashes and night sweats are other overlooked warning signs. It\u2019s easy to brush these off as just meno bummers, but they\u2019re actually associated with higher blood pressure, higher blood sugar levels, and higher LDL (\u201cbad\u201d) cholesterol\u2014all drivers of heart disease<\/a>. In fact, women who have frequent hot flashes have an increased risk of heart attacks and stroke as they get older, according to research published<\/a> in the Journal of the American Heart Association.<\/p>\n If you had pregnancy complications or are dealing with menopausal vasomotor symptoms, talk to your doc or a cardiologist. You may need to start cholesterol and blood pressure checks (and maybe even get a CT scan of your heart to check for plaque) at an earlier age. #6 Tennis great Serena Williams<\/a> opened up about her experience of her medical staff not seeming to listen to her concerns after the birth of her first child in 2017. But she isn\u2019t the only star talking about it. Amy Schumer<\/a> has been candid about her debilitating symptoms of endometriosis and how they were ignored for years. Gabrielle Union<\/a> has talked openly about how long it took for her to get a diagnosis despite years of painful periods and multiple miscarriages\u2014symptoms that turned out to be adenomyosis<\/a>, a condition in which the endometrial tissue grows into the uterine wall.<\/p>\n It\u2019s plain to see why many of us don\u2019t trust the health care system. We don\u2019t feel comfortable talking about our symptoms because we fear we\u2019ll be dismissed or that our questions will go unanswered. There\u2019s a chasm between what we feel we know for sure (Something is wrong!) and what we\u2019re told (You\u2019re fine! Stress less! You\u2019re being dramatic!). The antidote is knowledge. The more we understand our bodies and have the language to describe our symptoms, the harder we are to dismiss. This education helps us feel empowered to walk into any exam room with confidence. It can help us trust ourselves\u2014and be sure we see clinicians who trust us too.<\/p>\n Docs say: Speak up, don\u2019t suck it up, to get lasting relief. <\/p>\n #7 Most of the women orthopedic surgeon Vonda Wright<\/a>, MD, treats tell her they have a high pain tolerance. Their broken hips, frozen shoulders, and other skeletal health issues would make the toughest among us see stars. But \u201cthese women wear their high pain tolerance like it\u2019s a badge of honor,\u201d says Dr. Wright<\/a>. The result? They don\u2019t get adequately treated for their pain.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s the kicker: Pain that goes untreated can make you more sensitive to pain. This is known as central sensitization (which is associated with the \u201cwind-up\u201d theory of pain). It happens when the nervous system is subjected to repeated or high-intensity impulses and becomes progressively more sensitive, which means you\u2019ll be more likely to feel pain even when your pain should be dissipating.<\/p>\n Think of central sensitization almost like a volume knob, says Antje M. Barreveld<\/a>, MD, president of the American Academy of Pain Medicine. When patients with chronic pain that isn\u2019t managed well get a pain signal, they hear it at a super-loud level, whereas someone who doesn\u2019t have chronic pain won\u2019t hear pain signals at the same volume, even if it\u2019s the same type of pain.<\/p>\n The takeaway? Forget the old advice to \u201cbuck up, buttercup\u201d once and for all. Turns out, toughing it out doesn\u2019t always make you stronger. Getting help early and treating your pain effectively can.<\/p>\n Longtime health journalist Meghan Rabbitt uncovered a trove of facts about women’s bodies that she’d never come across before. You can find everything she discovered in her new book, The New Rules of Women’s Health<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Many of our body parts are named after men who labeled those parts many years ago.<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1768594333-71fmtS0EeOL.jpg\" "\\"The")
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You don\u2019t necessarily have to pee right after sex to prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs).<\/p>\n![\"spain\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/whm010126healthwomenshealthbook-004-1-1-696aab57aa4cd.jpg\" "\\"spain\\"")
Fernando Gomez<\/p>\n
Assessing lifetime risk of breast cancer is crucial for a screening plan. (But not enough doctors do it.)<\/p>\n
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Weight stigma often prevents women from seeking health care, and all of us can help change this.<\/p>\n
Your gynecologic history\u2014like some pregnancy complications and hot flashes during the menopause transition\u2014can play a role in your heart disease risk.<\/p>\n
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Many women have gotten the brush-off by a health care provider\u2014but there\u2019s an easy way to stop that trend.<\/p>\n![\"black](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/whm010126healthwomenshealthbook-001-696aaeed84609.jpg\" "\\"black")
Brendan James<\/p>\n
Talking about your \u201chigh pain tolerance\u201d may actually make your pain worse.<\/p>\n