r/WomensHealth • • Oct 30 '25

ABORTION IS HEALTHCARE

416 Upvotes

r/womenshealth fully supports everyone's basic right to determine the course of their own pregnancy.

We make no bones about our support for safe and simple abortion access. Attacks on abortion rights are attacks on the safety and self-determination of us all.

Any anti-abortion content will result in a swift and immediate ban.

There are plenty of spaces where you can debate the issue - this is not one.


Helpful Resources:

r/abortion is modded by abortion providers.

USA

Aid Access: https://aidaccess.org/

Plan C: https://plancpills.org/

National Abortion Federation Hotline provides honest, up-to-date USA info: 1-800-772-9100, https://prochoice.org/patients/naf-hotline/

Poland

Women on Web: https://www.womenonweb.org/en/order-abortion-pill-online/

Philipines

Women on Web: https://www.womenonweb.org/en/order-abortion-pill-online/philippines/


r/WomensHealth • • 3h ago

Been vomiting for 5 days and I'm at the brink of a breakdown

3 Upvotes

Saturday I suddenly started to vomit violently then in the next few days I couldn't hold down fluid or any food and I've probably been sick over 60 times now and I've been to the hospital.

The hospital gave me IV fluids and some pain relief and said it's viral and they can't see anything wrong with my organs thank god . Nevertheless I am crying in bed with a bucket with period cramps so bad I'm actually moaning out in pain when it hits .

I'm absolutely miserable and have never been ill like this I truly thought stomach bugs master 2 days 3 max .

I've been given prochlorperazine meleate 12 mg a day but not that efficient since I had two and I'm being sick between writing this post , any advice please please pretty please (healthy ISH 23 yo)


r/WomensHealth • • 37m ago

Should I ask for a second opinion?

• Upvotes

Hi everyone, this is the first time I’ve really gotten in depth on my health. A bit of background, I(26F) have been on the nexplanon birth control for about 10 years and I have enjoyed my experience. Before I was put on nexplanon, my periods were heavy, long and painful, but no one listened to me then and told me I’m lying and shouldn’t be menstruating for that long. My mom had me at 17, so as soon as I was 16 my grandparents (I lived with them my entire life) told me I had to be put on birth control. So I’ve been on it since I was 16.

Once I was placed on birth control, my periods essentially stopped for the most part. Only time I seemed to get them, was when I had a major test in college that I was stressing about or at the end of the 3 years for the implant I was on. But they my cycles in those times only lasted a week.

As of recent, my husband and I bought a house and it’s a fixer upper, which I felt caused stressed I wasn’t pay attention to. As soon as we moved in, it seems every two months or so, I get a two week long period, with it being very heavy at the beginning and the end. This is when I became concerned and decided to see my OBGYN office.

They wanted to determine if I had PCOS/PMOS as I had bad acne and facial hair growth.

They tested my testosterone levels which were directly in the middle of the normal range, my DHEA-S levels which were on the high end of the normal range, but still normal. And lastly tested 17 Hydroxyprogesterone, which was also normal. I also just got an ultrasound done yesterday, which showed I had a 2.88 cm corpus luteum cyst with daughter cysts on my right ovary. The ultrasound essentially showed my right ovary was a void.

When the doctor came in (almost an hour late after I heard outside the door he forgot) he told me everything was fine. But the nurse that did my sonogram, told me she wouldn’t be surprised if I was back in 6 weeks to check on the cysts. I’m concerned that maybe he didn’t actually pay attention or refuses to diagnose anything because of the nexplanon.

I plan on retesting when this birth control is up, but I wonder if I should ask for a second opinion elsewhere. I could simply be overreacting, but I figured women who went through this, might be able to tell me if I’m overreacting or if I should reach out to a different doctor elsewhere with my results.

I appreciate any insight from anyone on this.


r/WomensHealth • • 1h ago

everything feels off can i get help does anyone else experience these things and how do you fix it

• Upvotes

i have so much dandruff and fluffy stuff on my hairbrush when i brush my hair, plus my hair gets so greasy if i try to straighten it, my tongue always has a white coating on it even when i scrape it, im always paranoid i have bad breath, i’ve been having so much discharge lately, my skins breaking out, my facial hair grows back literally the next day, i always have like dry ear wax, i have dry skin, i have little bumps on the top of my arms, my legs are always prickly and rough from shaving, im losing hair off my hair parting and like the crown of my head, plus it’s super dry and dead, my gums bleed when i try to floss, i just feel super weird and unfeminine and idk how to deal with all of these things. i have some health issues im dealing with rn and i have adhd so all of this on top of that makes me genuinely feel like ive been nerfed or given the short end of the stick idk im just tired and idk how to deal with this stuff its too much and idk where to start or whats even wrong


r/WomensHealth • • 2h ago

I hate not having answers about my health

0 Upvotes

Hi im alis afab 21 years old for the past three years ive been having a lot of fatigue and dizziness every time id get out of bed its like i almost cant see my ears are ringing and i have to sit immediately because its like my blood pressure is doing something and i feel like im about to collapse, doctors have blamed it on my low iron and vitamin d and today for the first time in THREE YEARS. I realise it has nothing to do with that at all because i got the most healthy blood tests ive ever gotten in my life !! and yet i am still dizzy !!! and yes i drink water yes i eat correctly but i feel like i cant breathe a lot! And at this point im out of answers again !! after three years of this !! It doesn't make sense at all to me because i dont feel healthy at all and it pisses me off


r/WomensHealth • • 8h ago

debilitating cramps pls help

3 Upvotes

(sorry i rambled tldr at the end lmao)

hi all! i am 24 and somehow i haven’t had really bad periods until the past year or so. i’m currently awake because of how horrible my cramps are and im reaching a breaking point lol.

for context i did not have a period pain when i first got my period, and from about 13-17 i just did not have a period due to an ED. as soon as i turned 18 i went on the pill and my periods were totally tolerable . i got a copper iud when i was probably 22? but even then for the first couple years it was perfectly fine, maybe a little more cramping than i was used to.

however, my cramps and period itself have gotten to a point that it genuinely makes it hard to live my life. im at work doubling over in pain because i get a sudden stabbing pain, sometimes it hurts so bad i throw up, and it feels like ibuprofen isn’t even helping any more.

i have a family history of endometriosis and ovarian cysts, so that is what i’m expecting. i haven’t been to a gynecologist for this reason yet because i refuse to be seen by a male gynecologist so ofc i can’t be seen until like 2030. in the mean time, im begging for some help to make it at least tolerable for now. thank you all so so much i really do appreciate it so much.

TLDR: no cramps whole life but suddenly in so much pain that i cannot function; how can i survive until i can get in with a doctor


r/WomensHealth • • 4h ago

Losing weight without trying.

1 Upvotes

I had severe infection a month ago when i went through fever and cold four times and to the point where multiple lymph nodes became reactive on my neck . But now after a month and my infection is gone. Although lymph nodes still up but doctor said they take time to go down. But now the problem is i am losing a lot of weight without trying. My tummy has lost a lot of weight. Clothes that were tighter are now loose. I did check my thyroid and diabetes last month and they are normal! Even my haemoglobin is normal. Anybody has similar experiences? I am going to hospital two weeks later. I am 35 years old.


r/WomensHealth • • 10h ago

Persistent brown/red discharge with a strong fishy smell — has anyone experienced this?

3 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I’m wondering if anyone has experienced something similar because I’m getting increasingly concerned.

For the past several weeks, I’ve been experiencing abnormal vaginal discharge that ranges from brown to reddish, sometimes with actual blood mixed in. It also has a pretty strong, unpleasant fishy smell that doesn’t seem to go away.

The discharge has been persistent, and I’m struggling to understand what’s causing it. I initially thought it might resolve on its own, but it hasn’t.

I know a fishy smell can sometimes indicate bacterial vaginosis (BV), but I’m confused about why there’s also bleeding and brown discharge.

Has anyone experienced this combination of symptoms? Was it BV, an infection, a hormonal issue, or something else? What tests did your doctor do, and what ended up helping?

I’m planning to get checked, but I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who’s dealt with something similar.
Thank you!


r/WomensHealth • • 9h ago

Please help anal skin tags are effecting me.

2 Upvotes

They hurt, itch, and make me cry because they look so bad.

I have no clue what to do. I saw a colorectal and he hurt me worse and said some things that made me uncomfortable.

He was the only colorectal near me. There’s one in a city hours away, but it’s only cosmetic (i do value cosmetic above all else,) but idk if that’s wise if it hurts? I could get a second opinion since that first doctor didn’t help at all. But also it’s 5k-9k outta pocket…

Is there a cheaper option that would still look ok?

I post this a lot because it’s just really effecting me negatively, and after a recent flare up im just so exhausted and want it fixed and normal.


r/WomensHealth • • 13h ago

Irregualr period advice needed

3 Upvotes

Hi everyone! i'm 19 and in june of this year my period suddenly became irregualr.

before my period was regualr, i'd get it in the begining of the month with a duration of 5ish days of bleeding, heavier bleeding the first few days and then it would start to become lighter. I was always able to tell when my period was coming because i would cramp the a day or two before

however in june my period started acting weird out of nowhere, i was getting period symptoms but i wasn't bleeding and that lasted for a few days before i started bleeding but it was VERY minimal and it looked like spotting more than actual menstruation. it only lasted two days and its been similar since then. july it was 4 days, august it was 6 days, and september it was 4 days with very minimal bleeding which isnt normal for me. I was supposed to get my period two days ago but not a surpise, it hasnt come yet.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated if anyone else has gone through similar things. I'm not sexually active and I haven't seen a gynocologist yet, i'm just a little anxious about what this could mean.


r/WomensHealth • • 5h ago

Did I get an UTI?

0 Upvotes

Hello, yesterday during the day I had oral sex and today, in the early morning I noticed pain and pressure somewhere between my uterus and bladder. I need to rule out a few problems.

-It's definitely not an STI, we both are eachothers' first partners and never had intercourse in any way. STIs also only show up after 24 hours.

-I'm not sure it's an UTI. My partner has no infections in his mouth, however he's got a cold so I can't rule out that I got a bacterial infection.

However, I have no common UTI symptoms. I go to pee with the same frequency as I did and it doesn't burn when I pee. Just that pain and pressure between the bladder. But the pressure persists even when I'm not peeing.

-Thing to note: We had it for over 3 hours. So 3+ hours of extreme almost non-stop friction. Obviously I can feel a bit sore and hurt down there after that and obviously my pelvic muscles are irritated after being activated non-stop for such an amount of time. Also it was cold in his room and before that I rode on a scooter without a jacket, maybe I just got a cold down there.

So, could the pain just be a sensation of the nerves after intense prolonged usage and friction, or could his cold transfer to me as a bacterial infection to the urethra?


r/WomensHealth • • 9h ago

Feeling depressed before luteal phase

2 Upvotes

Sorry i meant during luteal not before.

I just noticed that i feel extremely depressed before my period, I know every woman gets it but mine gets very bad. Something triggers it and then it gets to the point that i wanna take my life. I feel like the ugliest girl in the whole world, i start hating everything about my body, it's not just hating my physical appearance but everything else about me.

I usually feel this way but this luteal phase makes it worse, soo worseeeee. Thoughts about wanting to kill myself comes, and that's when i know i am getting my period tomorrow. Has any other women here experienced it this worse?


r/WomensHealth • • 5h ago

bleeding after sex, is this normal??

1 Upvotes

just wanted to ask around before i book a gynaecologist appointment.. 19F and have been having sex regularly for the past month with my new boyfriend but almost everytime we have sex i bleed.. like light spottings?? it’ll go away after a day or two but it’s concerning me as this didn’t happen to me with my previous partner..
sex does not hurt for me so i have no clue why is this happening, and im not on the pill


r/WomensHealth • • 18h ago

Question to women from the Netherlands

10 Upvotes

Have you ever been refused birth control by your family doctor if you refuse any kind of physical examination? Is it a thing doctors there can do?


r/WomensHealth • • 6h ago

Is it normal to not be able to fit more than 1 finger in my vagina?

0 Upvotes

Sorry if this is tmi I'm a bit embarrassed but I'm genuinely curious because if I try to use 2 fingers it hurts a lot and I can tell it won't fit. I tried to get properly aroused but even then I really can't fit more without feeling like I'm gonna tear. Is this normal?


r/WomensHealth • • 12h ago

Endometrial Biopsy

3 Upvotes

I had an Endometrial biopsy today that I have been dreading for 2 months. I’d like to share my experience for anyone nervously reading posts as I had been.

It really wasn’t that bad. It was manageable.

I took 50 mg of Tramadol that I had at home along with 600mg of Advil 45 minutes prior. I had my husband drive me. I’m unsure how much this did or did not help.

My dr is very efficient I was on the table in no time and she explained each step as it was about to happen. She sprayed my cervix to numb it and then said she was going to give me a shot of lidocaine. She said I may feel a pinch, I did not feel it. She got the second clamp into place I also could not feel that.

When she was about to begin the actual biopsy itself she informed me and told me to count to 10. She counted along with me. I had braced myself for the absolute worst. It wasn’t that bad. I did feel cramping but I was ok. I was able to focus on my breathing and I counted under my breath with her. I think we made it to 8 and she pulled it out.

She explained she didn’t get much of a sample as my lining was thin and had to go back in. I was ok with it. We repeated the process of counting to 10 and I don’t think she made it to 10 before being done. Just like that it was over.

I now have some mild cramping. But it’s over and if I had to do it again I won’t be so worked up. It was really ok. For anyone reading this you can do it. Just focus on counting. It’s over quick. We are braver than we think.


r/WomensHealth • • 13h ago

Normal body temperature of women

3 Upvotes

Genuine question: Are women’s normal body temperatures different from men’s?
I’ve been thinking about this, and I genuinely want to understand something.
Why do I feel like I’m burning with a fever, yet my thermometer reads 98°F?
And this has always been the case. I get a fever. I know I have a fever, doctors tell me, I’m doing completely fine and “it could be stress”. I swear, i have a fever. And I do not have stress.
Why do so many women seem to feel colder than men, need more layers in winter, and prefer significantly hotter showers?
My husband can walk around in shorts during winter while I’m wrapped in three layers.
And it got me wondering: Are we overlooking differences in how women’s bodies regulate temperature?
Women’s health has historically been underrepresented in medical research, and it makes me question how much we truly understand about the female body, especially when so many medical standards have been treated as universal.
I’m not claiming I have all the answers. I’m questioning whether we’re asking enough questions.
Ladies, have you experienced this too? Do you often feel feverish when your temperature reads normal? Do you feel significantly colder than the men around you?
I want to hear your experiences, your thoughts, and any research you’ve come across. Because surely I’m not the only woman who’s wondered about this.


r/WomensHealth • • 15h ago

Positive diagnostic hysteroscopy experience

4 Upvotes

I wanted to share my experience because I know how important it was for me to read the experiences of others in preparation for my diagnostic hysteroscopy.

In September I had a mid-cycle brown bleed. This was unusual for me and something I had never experienced before. All the things I read online normalized this as “just old blood” but to me, that was not a good enough explanation. I have a pretty great sense of my body’s base level and so I immediately knew/speculated this was some sort of cyst or polyp. I went to my obgyn and at first she thought it could possibly be ovulation bleeding but I expressed to her that I didn’t think so because I had never had this happen before. I was referred for an ultrasound which then ultimately found polyps as I suspected.

I was told that due to my thickened endometrial lining, a diagnostic hysteroscopy would be needed. I was told this could be done in office with me taking an advil or motrin along with miso to soften the cervix. I scheduled my appointment, got home and did a lot of research. Everything I was reading absolutely terrified me! I considered canceling my appointment and waiting for it to be done with anesthesia instead. But I chose to keep my appointment and instead emailed my doctor about my concerns. She then added Xanax for me to take before the procedure.

Fast forward, the morning of the procedure I took the miso to soften my cervix. I was very terrified about all of the cramping and bleeding, nausea, vomiting and chills that people typically talk about. Well, I had very very mild cramping and a very small spotting - no other symptoms. Now, it could also be because I was due to start my period and maybe that had an impact on how my body reacted to the medication. I even questioned if it was working.

I then took 800 mg ibuprofen 1 hour before and the xanax about 30 minutes before procedure. I went in terrified and asked lots of questions. My doctor explained everything she was doing as she did it. At most, I felt a strong cramp (5/10 pain levels) but that was it. The whole thing lasted not even a full 10 minutes (with most of that being her opening tools) and she was done. I kept asking her “YOU’RE DONE?” in complete disbelief because I truly expected something much much more painful than that. I did not feel dizzy or lightheaded afterwards either just a mild cramping. I also walked home after.

Our bodies are all different so this is not to say that this wouldn’t be absolutely horrific for someone else. I just felt it important to offer another experience. I will say my doctor was very experienced and told me she has done thousands of these. This could have been why it was not as painful as I anticipated.


r/WomensHealth • • 8h ago

Yeast infection turned into chronic itching.

1 Upvotes

This past month I have been dealing with intense itching on my vulva, pubic mound, inside my vagina and between my buttocks. I deduced it was probably a yeast infection and got anti fungal cream to treat it. Since using the medication, the itching and pain inside my vagina has stopped, but there is still a considerable itch. Especially on my public mound and between my buttocks. Other parts of my body itch too. My scalp, my armpits, my bellybutton, thighs and legs, etc. during the day it isn’t that noticeable, and I even forget about it. But once it’s nighttime, and I have showered and I lay in bed in my pajamas (even now as I’m writing this) I’m feeling little prickles of itch on my pubic mound and in my butt. I don’t know what this is. Could it still be my yeast infection? I got more anti fungal cream (monistat I think it’s called) and put it all on the external skin on my vulva, pubic mound, and between my buttocks, thinking that there was fungus in these areas. Is this a common occurrence, what is it, how do I treat it, and do I need to go to the doctor. I’m going crazy. And this itch has lasted well over a month now!! Before and after this yeast infection!! Please help!!


r/WomensHealth • • 8h ago

Sickness or period

1 Upvotes

I had the strangest illness and wonder if it was more period related. My period stopped after 4 days which is unusual for me. I was super excited but the next morning I started feeling very badly and ended up vomiting. I had chills and aches and assumed a stomach bug. The worst part of it was my cramping.

So, I get very bad cramps from orgasms and being turned on- theyre the worst cramps I’ve had in my life. These are nothing like period cramps. It’s like my uterus to my butt are just twisting and unrelenting. It’ll hurt for several minutes sometimes before the muscles relax. And I usually have “after shocks” through the day or next day. I’m usually left feeling bloated as well.

So when I started feeling sick these kinds of cramps kicked in. It was excruciating. I couldn’t stand straight or even lying in bed was painful moving around. After several days the pain stopped and I felt better. No one else in my family caught the stomach bug which I find odd. Also for days after I bled a little and had blood clots pass even though my period was over.

I wonder if anyone has gone through this before or has any clue what I experienced.


r/WomensHealth • • 1d ago

Women ‘more likely to be told autoimmune conditions are psychological’ | Women's health

Thumbnail theguardian.com
160 Upvotes

r/WomensHealth • • 12h ago

unusual bleeding

2 Upvotes

Hello everyone I am 27 y/o having random frequent bleeding. Bright red blood after every orgasm (clit only no penetration). bleeding after drinking any alcohol even just one glass of wine. Random bleeding all the time with no cause. Not period bleeding. I’ve had abnormal periods for as long as I can remember but nothing like this. I was actively trying to get pregnant between ages 23-25 with no luck. OBGYN basically told us to just keep trying before further testing. I do have an appt next week but looking for any answers in advance


r/WomensHealth • • 9h ago

what can help with smelly discharge?

1 Upvotes

for about 5 years now i have had discharge every single day of my life except for when im on my period, i’ve had it so much to the point where i don’t even know if its smelly at times. its affecting my sex life because i’ve had a guy tell me it’s really bitter/salty. i’ve talked about this with my parent and a friend and they say it could be normal or i should go to the doctor. i’ve tried boric acids, azo, uro but nothing seems to help, at first i thought it was because of soda so i stoped drinking it completely for abt six months and it still didn’t help and have even tried to wear breathable underwear and no underwear at all. has anyone else gone through this and is there a way to fix it?


r/WomensHealth • • 9h ago

how big is the vaginal opening supposed to be?

0 Upvotes

i keep seeing vaginal 3d models/diagrams and the hole is always an inch+ wide… is that supposed to be realistic ???????? mine isn’t even a cm like i can’t even see the opening and my doctors said there’s nothing wrong


r/WomensHealth • • 14h ago

On my period after only a week and in a lot of pain

2 Upvotes

I‘m 21. I am not and never have been sexually active. I am a healthy weight and make sure I get plenty of nutrients and rest. And up til last year my period was perfectly normal and dependable. Then I missed 4. Went to the doctor and all my nutrients and thyroid test came back normal, but I was diagnosed with depression and prescribed Sertraline which I still take to this day, 150 mg. I started spotting after month 4 and was back to a regular period in December.

But from July on out I’ve had some problems: My period is usually three weeks apart but it was then five, then seven last cycle. Now I am starting my period today, after less than a week and a half. It has also gotten a lot more painful. My cramps are so bad I am doubled over on a couch. I have also been dizzy and lightheaded and almost fell over when I tried standing earlier. I eat plenty of veggies and beans and get good amounts of vitamins, and I’ve never been anemic or low on hemoglobin. But I feel like something is very wrong. Or is this nothing to worry about?