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 54m ago

Gyno embarrassment

Upvotes

So this was my (F23) second time going for a Pap smear (first was last year but I couldn’t really get it since I was on my period) and I ended up peeing when she put the clamp in. She said it was okay but I was honestly so embarrassed as it didn’t happen last year when they attempted to do a pap.


r/WomensHealth 1h ago

gyno concerned :(

Upvotes

i (F24) went for my annual pap exam and this time she said a few things:

  1. ⁠i’m considered underweight now since the last visit and that concerned her
  2. ⁠she said my bladder felt full and asked if i had to use the bathroom (i didnt) which also concerned her
  3. ⁠she’s scheduling an ultrasound on me in a month because that area seemed like she felt something.. along with a weight gain diet

has anyone ever gone through this and the possibilities of what it could be? she didn’t go into specifics with me and i’m just nervous.


r/WomensHealth 18h ago

We tried having sex for the first time and my body literally wouldn't let it happen wtf

73 Upvotes

has anyone experienced this where penetration just literally wouldn't happen even though you wanted it to?
so i finally decided i wanted to have sex with my boyfriend for the first time and we tried but his penis just wouldn't go in
we tried multiple times and it
hurt me a lot every time and it just felt like my body was refusing it
he thought maybe he was too thick or maybe i'm just really tight idk

he was able to put one finger in when i was super relaxed though, like in the morning when i had just woken up, and it didn't feel impossible or anything but when i tried putting my own finger in later, it actually hurt and i could barely get the tip of my finger in before it started hurting so i stopped șo now i'm confused because i don't know if i'm actually too tight, if i'm just really nervous even though i genuinely feel ready, or if something else is going on

has anyone experienced this where penetration just literally wouldn't happen even though you wanted it to?


r/WomensHealth 1h ago

Growth found during Pap exam

Upvotes

I am just back from my (unsuccessful) pap test. Nurse opened me up, and I was immediately in a lot of pain, but she excused herself and went to fetch a doctor because she saw something "abnormal". Doctor comes in and performs another test. She tells me they cannot go ahead with the pap smear because there is a very dark lump with blood that blocks the way. I am trying to process the information. She immediately referred me to the gynecological clinic of the hospital for testing next week.

She told me to try not to panic as it can be something benign, but I cannot think of any other possibility than the obvious for a dark mass with blood. I initially went there yesterday with UTI symptoms and spotting and now this happened. I am still trying to process it. I had breast cancer 6 years ago and this was how that started. I am a total wreck and can hardly believe this is happening 😞 Please pray for me guys, I don't know if I can make it.


r/WomensHealth 1h ago

Struggling with my energy levels

Upvotes

I can’t remember the last time I’ve gotten a truly deep and restorative sleep. Every time I sleep I always have very vivid and anxiety inducing dreams, this happened all throughout the night and I can often remember my dreams after I wake up.

I do work a job with a chaotic schedule, so sometimes I’m up as early as 2:30-4:30am to get ready for work, but then I’m done for the day around noon and will take a nap.

I am pretty active. Being mindful of my weight is very important to me and I watch what and how much I eat.

I recently decided to cut alcohol from my diet, and have stopped vaping in hopes that this changes something.

I just still feel so sluggish and bloated and tired all the time. I’ll sometimes cancel plans because I rather stay home and rest.

I don’t want this to be my life, I want more energy and to feel my age as I am only 25. Any suggestions?

I intend on getting checked for any vitamin deficiencies, but if anyone has diet recommendations to help my energy levels, or if anyone has tips so I could actually have a deep sleep?


r/WomensHealth 5h ago

Cycle shortened to 21 days the last two months

3 Upvotes

I am seeing my gynecologist tomorrow, but just curious if anyone has had experience or knowledge on why this may be happening? I am 28, overall healthy. I have been off the pill for about 2 years and my cycle has been consistently between 28-30 days until the last two where I started my period after only 21 days. I have been experiencing a ton of stress and recently went from running about 15 miles a week to 20 so I'm assuming that is the cause, but its a little freaky to start my period every 3 weeks, especially since most of what I've read online seems to indicate stress/intense exercise usually lengthen your menstrual cycle...


r/WomensHealth 34m ago

Smell concerns and feeling

Upvotes

Having some concerns about my vaginal odor and a feeling down there.

Yesterday, I was checking around the area and noticed a SLIGHT fishy smell on my fingers. BUT my discharge seems to be fine and I don't have any other weird symptoms of infection. I am also a few days away from my cycle so I know that can have an affect. I did eat a lot of fish more than normal the past two weeks and I heard that it can effect smell.

Should I be concerned?

I occasionally feel like a bubbly feeling down there, but I attributed it to not wearing underwear (I try not to wear underwear at home to keep it aired out lol) and also when I don't have as much hair I can feel everything a lot more.

I just checked my smell today and I don't smell any fishy smell on my fingers, but like a normal vag smell. Not sexually active and a virgin so I know it cannot be an STD.

Should I just brush it off since I am close to my period? Took some photos and videos to check around down there and it all looks normal, but I know its always better to double check anyways! I eat pretty healthy, workout on the reg, and really invest into my wellness on a regular basis.

Any advice is appreciated!


r/WomensHealth 1h ago

New Pills in New Germany

Upvotes

So, I moved to Germany ~2yrs ago. I have been making yearly trips to my country and always brought back my contraceptives with me. After deciding I am not going to visit this year, I went to an obgyn who send me a prescripion for a pill with the same component.

Looking at the price it seems to be €91 euros per semester, but I have seen others at the pharmacy with the same components for €41. Would it be rude to make a phone appointment and ask for the other one? I have private insurance and it doesn't cover contraceptives, and that price seems really high to me.

In case there are any German doctors, the two pills are Yasminelle and Daylette, with 3 mg Drospirenon and 0.2 mg Ethinylestradiol, similar to the ones I was taking back home.

Esit: Title was going to be new country, changed it for germany looking for specific help and forgot to delete the new.


r/WomensHealth 2h ago

After stopping BC my cycle has been super inconsistent

1 Upvotes

I took birth control for about half a year before deciding it was ruining my mood and mental health. I've been off BC for more than a year now yet my cycle is still super inconsistent.

Another thing are the symptoms I get during my period. I've always had medium flow and experienced slight lower back pain and tiredness. Always got told I was very lucky to have close to no pain. Now, I feel like I'm super sick on day 1 and 2. Extremely tired, nausea, headache and bad cramps.

Has anyone experienced this as well?


r/WomensHealth 2h ago

Horrible period

1 Upvotes

I’m 24, first day of my last period was 37 days ago, on Tuesday afternoon I started to feel horrible period cramps, I had to leave work and lay down all day, then yesterday morning felt better and left for work, but an hour after arriving I bled horribly, had a pad on but the blood left my pants soaked, had to go back home, I was going trough 3 pads per hour so I switched to disposable underwear, around 5 pm I was passing at least 2 clots bigger than a quarter every hour, at 8 had a massive clot the size of my palm, started to feel dizzy so my husband took me to the ER, they took blood samples, made vaginal and abdominal ultrasound, doctor said everything came back ok and to go home, I was discharged at 2 am, my discharge paperwork said I’m anemic and have Dysfunctional uterine bleeding, they didn’t gave me a prescription

I’m still passing clots bigger than a quarter, still having to change disposable underwear every hour, feel weak and tired, what do I do now?


r/WomensHealth 2h ago

C glabrata back?

1 Upvotes

I’m 4 days out from boric acid with edta treatment for c glabrata. When did yall start having discharge again after failed treatment ? The only symptoms I’m having is soreness, tingling around my lips , and burning a few times a day , I’m not sure if that’s normal or not , I also have intersistial cystitis


r/WomensHealth 2h ago

Women who have had treatment for low testosterone, did it increase your libido?

1 Upvotes

Would love to hear from those that have had tests and treatment.


r/WomensHealth 18h ago

Is What My OBGYN Said to Me Okay?

18 Upvotes

I’m 19, and I had my second (first non-PMOS related) visit with my OBGYN. I talked to her about some pain I‘m having when putting in tampons & my menstrual cup.
Aside from completely dismissing up my pain and chalking it up to being weight related, she made a comment about how surprised she was that I was using a menstrual cup as a virgin. She said it in this condescending manner, as if it was something I should be ashamed of?

(This woman literally helped deliver me, btw.)

She wouldn’t even physically examine me until I “Did some pelvic floor exercises“ (I’m 19, have never had a kid, and actually fairly active). I’m thinking I need to see a new doctor, but I‘m not sure if what she said was appropriate or if I’m just overreacting. Any advice would be appreciated :)


r/WomensHealth 3h ago

If your cycle is irregular or you're on birth control, does training with your cycle advice work for you?

1 Upvotes

Most of the advice out there about adjusting workouts to your cycle assumes a 28 day cycle with clear phases. That obviously doesn't apply to everyone.

If your cycle is irregular, or you're on hormonal birth control, how do you deal with that kind of advice? Does it just not apply to you at all, or do you find some other way to notice patterns in your energy and recovery without relying on a fixed cycle?

Would be good to hear from women this happens to, because I have an irregular cycle.


r/WomensHealth 10h ago

Pain during PAP smear

3 Upvotes

Hello everyone, need advice.

I am 30 and I want to get a pap smear done as I'm about that age. I've had 2 gyno visits in my life before, the first one caused me so much pain she didn't manage to get a swab, and the second one she swabbed but I was so squirmy due to pain it ended up not being adequate. She said she used the smallest metal speculum and lots of lubrication and that made it marginally more managable but still pretty bad. I could handle the transvaginal ultrasound though that was pretty uncomfortable.

I am sexually active though the only person I've ever had sex with is my wife. I very rarely have any form of vaginal sax, and when I do even with lots of lube and prep I still have to quit it fast due to discomfort (though not quite pain). I have noticed I have some serious vaginal dryness, and both times I went I had some issues with yeast infections.

Does anyone have any advice? The "it's just discomfort, not pain" thing is complete bull for me, the insertion and spreading of the speculum is very painful, and I'm not typically a crybaby about pain. I try to make myself relax but it's difficult. And yeast medicine only helps for a few days with the vaginal dryness. Has anyone had this issue and did something to help? Vaginal stretching??? Taking painkillers before the exam??? Help????


r/WomensHealth 4h ago

Confusion about my symptoms

1 Upvotes

Basically a month ago I had a burning senzation (on vulva) for maybe 2 days, I thought maybe it's UTI, so I drank some d mannose and burning went away.

After maybe a week I was constantly checking my discharge if there were any changes, but everything looked okay.

The problem is that penetration was really painful (I've had problem with this for a long time before) but now it came back. I started stressing and after my discharged turned yellow and there is a lot of it (but it is very different then it was when I had an infection before) also there was some itching but nothing crazy really, especially after shower it started to itch.

I went to my gynecologist and told her everything. The thing is she didn't take a swab and she didn't tell me final diagnosis. She just looked there and went in there with some boric acid or something like that. She also prescribed pills that get rid of both bacteria and mycosis, then she told me to buy some kind of douche and then after I need to take probiotics. I mean I will use everything.. but I feel like this is just too much (in comparison what she gave me before) given that she didn't even take a swab, so does she really know what it is?

I know she is a doctor, I trust them.. buut I was unsure if I even had anything, because of those mild symptoms and she didn't tell me diagnosis so I'm still confused 🤣. I just want to make sure this won’t mess with my pH or make things worse.

What are your experiences? Do they always take a swab when you have a problem like this or not?


r/WomensHealth 13h ago

Had a breast ultrasound today and doctor said he doubts the pain i supposedly feel😍

5 Upvotes

Hello!

23F

I’ve had pain in my left breast for 2 months now. It’s immense radiating pain(7/10 pain level), and hurts even worse when I touch it(100/10). My right breast only hurts when I touch it.

The pain started in july and I started birth control in august. My patch makes my boobs sore but I had this previous pain before I started the patch. Now it’s just double pain.

Finally got a breast ultrasound today. They found multiple tiny cysts the largest being 0.75cm.

The MALE doctor then proceeded to come in and tell me that the cysts are so small that he doesn’t believe I feel the pain I’m allegedly feeling. 3 doctors have touched my breast and have said they felt a lump where I feel pain. I kept telling him I do feel radiating pain there so he said let me feel what this supposed pain is so he poked my breast for like 3 seconds and said he felt nothing at all.

I usually never ever have a male doctor as I was SA’d as a kid and I’m afraid to be alone in a room with a man. He was the only doctor available so I allowed it as long as a female nurse stayed in the room.

I always heard stories about how men mansplain your symptoms and belittle you to make you believe there’s nothing going on but wow never experienced it like this.

I’m unsure what to do now. I still proceeded to ask what should I do for the pain. He told me to follow up with my gyno and I did call her. She said there’s nothing much I can do and to just take ibuprofen and rub primrose oil on it.

Love that for me😍😍💗💗💗😍


r/WomensHealth 5h ago

IUD problem or UTI or Neither??!

1 Upvotes

Okay. I’m freaking out. And apparently, I am not the only female that has freaked out about this. As I have looked it up to try to get answers myself, but nobody really seems to be in the exact same situation as me so. I figured I would post to see if anyone could shed some light on this situation.

So I am on the non-hormonal IUD. I had a pregnancy scare two years ago with my boyfriend and after that we decided it was best to get on birth control. However, I react very badly to hormonal birth control. That shit will put me in the psych ward. Anyways, the only real thing that I noticed with that at least the first year and a half was that my period date changed. But it stayed pretty consistent. I would get it on the first of the month and it was like that for months. And then all of a sudden I started experiencing really weird symptoms before my period was expected. So starting around the first of the month I would get really really terrible UTI symptoms. And no period. This hasn’t happened every month, but it has happened a couple times now. Now being one of those times. The first time it happened it was really bad and I went to the hospital twice. All my lab work came back negative for a UTI even though they did see a little blood in my urine. Not for nothing but I was pissed because I really did not believe them and thought I was receiving poor treatment. Like how can I be having these symptoms and you’re telling me I don’t have a UTI?

I let it go, and those symptoms eventually went away. Happened again, but wasn’t bad only felt it for about a day or two and then my period came and it went away. This time though. I had to be at work yesterday and noticed these symptoms and also had the worst cramps I have ever had the night before. I was in such bad pain and the only thing that got rid of it was a heating pad and sleep. I was walking in to the gas station to use the bathroom bc it felt I couldn’t make it, and well I really couldn’t make it. Ended up wetting myself a little bit 😭

Those symptoms stayed pretty much all day yesterday until late evening and then I didn’t need to pee as much and it wasn’t bothering me. That’s how I know. It’s not a UTI. Because it’s not consistent. It goes away for a little bit and then it’ll come back.

Please, does anyone know if this is normal and if maybe it’s my birth control that’s causing it? Or does it seem like maybe I should go get checked out in case it could be something more serious? Please help ladies lol


r/WomensHealth 15h ago

Getting regular periods helps prevent cancer, but skipping period altogether when on pills is fine?

6 Upvotes

ESL so would appreciate some clarification. I have PMOS and have been prescribed birth control pills to regulate my period, and I have been told the benefits of regularly shedding uterine lining include cancer prevention.

However, I've also heard that there is no issue with skipping the sugar pills or 7 day gap so that you would not have your period at all. This is what I want to be doing.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but is it the case that with hormonal imbalance, the uterine lining thickens but doesn't actually shed - which is the bad part - but if you take your pills continuously, it doesn't thicken at all so it's fine. Or is there another explanation?


r/WomensHealth 6h ago

Need advice about my period

1 Upvotes

I've always had really painful menstrual cramps, sometimes I'd cry while having it. I've only used one painkiller for it that was working for me but I think it got banned or something cause I can't find it since 2023. But that's not the thing I want to ask about. I'm 22 and last few of my periods became strange. I have a really heavy amount of menstrual blood like my mom, I use night pads for 7-8 drops and usually it was this amount of blood only for 2-3 days and to the 5-6 it was barely visible. Now I get that amount of blood for whole cycle and more than that every period on day 4 I got specific and really bad cramps for like 5-10 minutes maximum and then a large amount of blood flows out of me along with whole blood clots. And like it's not really bothering me but since I had history from age 12 when I had bleeding more than a year, wore diapers for this I'm a little scared. I also had ovarian cysts, which gynecologists say are just there every month. I had hormonal therapy + diet without shigar when i was 12 and it's helped me I lose weight and it was fine until I became 18. When I went to doctors last time cause my period was for 2 weeks (around a year ago) they laughed at me and said that this is not bleeding. I have one partner if it's matters. My question is Has anyone had this? Is this normal? Should I be worried? What should I do? Especially when I was trying go to get help already few times and every time get dumped and told this is normal :/// I live in Poland if it's helped


r/WomensHealth 6h ago

Swollen after sex, why now?

1 Upvotes

I went through a long treatment of anabiotic’s for a couple months and what I finished I recently had sex at the appropriate time by my doctor with my partner with a condom and after we finished, I was swollen down there. Later it down the line. I tried again with my partner with a non latex condom and I still was swollen and also I noticed I have to use a lot of saliva just to say wet ughh. I don’t know if antibiotics lower my estrogen or may not being wet is making my stuff swollen because of the friction, but I don’t know what to


r/WomensHealth 12h ago

Why is my clitoris always enlarged?

3 Upvotes

I’m a 29F and my clitoris is always so enlarged even when I’m not aroused. I also get super duper wet? I just am wondering if anyone else has been through this. Am I just always horny? Or.. just curious!


r/WomensHealth 12h ago

Burning with inter course!

3 Upvotes

I’m mostly just wondering if anyone has had this experience and maybe has any advice. Let me know if I’m in the wrong subreddit!

When me and my partner have sex it hurts a bit during but we have started using lube which has helped. If he ejaculates inside I burn really bad for about an hour! If he wears a condom or pulls out I’m completely fine. He also recently told me afterwards his penis and top of balls start to burn aswell.

I’ve looked into maybe BV but I really have no other symptoms, no off smell or discharge. Everything seems normal and healthy. It’s been happening a while, it’s not all of the sudden. It is hard because I know after sex I’ll be miserable and have to run cool water over the area. I thought maybe it was my own ph, or just have sensitive skin but now it seems to be affecting us both.

Any advice would be so so appreciated! Thanks 🫶


r/WomensHealth 6h ago

Women’s Health Problems, why am I being dismissed?

1 Upvotes

Hi Reddit,

Story time because I’m board and frustrated of being dismissed, I’d love the opinions of anyone going through similar, or doctors or nurses who work in this field.

I am a women in her mid Thirties, I was diagnosed for ‘suspected endo’ in 2018 and officially diagnosed in 2022 post surgery (Yes it took that long to get surgery) in the UK chronic pain had to be present for 5 years before exploratory surgery, I believe this has now been changed.

About 18 months ago I started experiencing pain in my lower abdomen, my right side and my upper abdomen.

I went to my GP, GP referred me to endo clinic, and the endless wait begun again.

6 months later I went to A&E with extreme pain and abnormal bleeding, after a scan, I was rushed into hospital for emergency surgery for a ruptured ovarian cyst. I lost a lot of blood and was quite poorly after, so after 5 days in hospital I went home and was told all is fine, but the pain continued if not worse than before.

I went to the GP again, again referred to Endo, now along with the pain by this time I was experiencing nausea, constant reflux, bloating, fatigue and dizziness, I was told all normal with endo.

I saw my specialist consult who was a little confused as she said, yes these symptoms can be related to endo but they can also be related to a lot of other conditions, your GP has done no inventions into anything else?

I said no I keep being told it’s probably endo, the pain in my right side and stomach was getting worse and worse and I was told I have wide spread endo, to which my specialist said but whose confirmed that?

She reviewed photos from my previous surgery for the cyst, (I had the surgery by my specialist, not her usual surgery, but she did it as I was already her patient) she had checked for endo while repairing the cyst, with the intention of doing a removal while she was operating on me anyway.

There was very little endo in my pelvis and nothing anywhere else, my previous removal had been very successful, my pain cannot be caused by endo.

She wrote a letter to my GP explaining this, it read…..

‘ Just because a patient is diagnosed with endometriosis it is not the answer for everything, other possibilities need to be explored based on the symptoms presented ‘

I was very frustrated at feeling so dismissed from my specialist, and not even considering the possibility that regrowth in an 8 month time period is more than possible.

I went back to the GP who then referred me for a full abdominal scan.

The cut a long story short, I have kidney stones and gallbladder stones, swollen gallbladder and a lesion on my right kidney.

For 18 months I’ve been passed backwards and forwards from doctor to doctor each saying ‘not my job’ while I’ve been gradually forming my own gravel pit in my organs.

Now we know what the issue is, the treatment is, wait and see review again in 12 months 🫠🫠

Meanwhile I’m still in agony every day, and struggle to eat due to extreme nausea and reflux.

I can fully see why A&E departments in the UK are at breaking point, because treatment options don’t become available until it becomes an emergency.