health

From the ovaries, outward, all about female-focused health and medicine.

Folic Acid Supplementation Tied to Health Risks for Women and Their Babies
More and more studies are showing alarming health risks for women and their babies as a result of synthetic folic acid supplements and fortification of foods. While folates have long been known to be crucial for healthy fetal development, the synthetic version of folate, folic acid, has been linked to increased risk of asthma for infants and double the risk of breast cancer for mothers, among other risks.
By Alicia Bayer8 years ago in Viva
Soul Cysters
I want to start off by saying thank you for being here! PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) sounds like such a scary thing, but it doesn’t have to be. If you’re reading this, whether you have been diagnosed with PCOS, friend, a loved one, or you're just simply curious about what it is, you’ve come to the right place!
By Andrea Scrogham8 years ago in Viva
Is My Birth Control Giving Me Anxiety?
I have been a faithful friend to hormonal birth control methods for over fourteen years now. Mostly oral contraceptives to start, and switching to hormonal IUD’s a little later on. This hadn’t been a significant fact until recently, when I started doing a little digging into my health, and some of the health hiccups I’d undergone throughout my teenage years and now into my twenties.
By Em McMahon8 years ago in Viva
Vagina Troubles and How to Prevent Them
Okay, so I decided to take a break from writing about Disneyland to address a topic that is really important to me: VAGINA HEALTH. Ladies...It is shocking to me that in the time of amazing accessibility we live in, SO MANY OF YOU don't know how to take care of your beautiful, wonderful, lady parts!
By Kathryn C. 8 years ago in Viva
Merry Christmas to Me, I Got an IUD
I have been a big fan on IUDs (intrauterine devices) for quite some time, but I never made a real effort to get one. I mentioned it to by OB/GYN in Chicago about a year ago, but they were having trouble with my insurance. I was already on the pill, and it was working quite well—in the sense that I hadn’t gotten pregnant. So I dropped the idea of an IUD and stuck with the birth control I already had.
By Grace Mikus8 years ago in Viva
Contraception: The Pros and Cons
A lot of people in the UK are starting to have sex from the age of at least 14-years-old, which means that they buy the pill or condoms. But do they know what other contraceptive methods are there, including its pros and cons? Well look no further. All the info is right here!
By Sasha Kick8 years ago in Viva
Searching for Answers
Have you even heard of endometriosis? Many of my friends and family hadn't heard the word before, or at most they had heard the word but couldn't say what it was. I heard the word for the first time last year when listening to the radio at work. It was some sort of Endometriosis Awareness Day, and by golly, have I become aware.
By May Dawn8 years ago in Viva
How I Deal with My Life
Hi guys. My name is Ellie and I found out at the age of 16 that I have the condition PCOS. PCOS stands for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and it is where there are possibly some cysts on your ovaries which could cause fertility problems in the future. Thankfully, in my case, they did an ultrasound on my ovaries and found no cysts, yet I'm still on the spectrum for the condition, as I have all the signs that go along with it. These signs can be that it is harder to lose weight and that the fat mainly gathers around your stomach or mid region. Also, there's a higher chance of depression, acne, and possibly excessive hair growth all over your body.
By Ellie Smith8 years ago in Viva
Cancer
I remember being told numerous times by my doctor that he had never seen a cancer this aggressive and invasive in someone my age. I was way under the average woman's age for cervical cancer.
By Krystal Howard8 years ago in Viva
You Can Say "Period."
Some days I feel like the world has made great leaps in breaking "female" taboos. BodyForm has released an ad with blood in it instead of the strange blue fluid we've all grown used to, women talk more openly about their periods, about reproductive issues, and the stigma behind getting a sexual health check seems to be reducing.
By Lizzie Ellis8 years ago in Viva
Birth Control Shot Side Effects
By now you likely know how birth control works, but did you know there was a birth control shot? Both birth control pills and the birth control shot are highly effective and safe methods of preventing unplanned pregnancies, but most people are probably unfamiliar with the side effects of the shot form. That's why whatever form of birth control you choose deserves serious consideration so you can make the optimal choice for you.
By Amanda Stamper8 years ago in Viva
The PMDD Self-Care Kit
The Self-Care Kit is a bag of tools to draw from when PMDD strikes (or whenever you need a little extra attention). You design it yourself, so it's filled with all the things that bring you comfort. It helps you remember what to do for yourself when everything stops working and the PMDD shit hits the fan. The great thing is, it's ready and waiting for you. All you have to do is remember to use it!
By Cheeky Minx8 years ago in Viva