<a href="http://wombsforwisdom.com">Megan Assaf</a> had extremely painful periods from the beginning. In her late 20s, she found out her uterus was upside down, folded in half, off to the left and stuck behind her colon. She didn’t learn this from a doctor, but from a holistic healer working in a tradition that comes from the Maya people of Belize. What’s more, Megan got her uterus repositioned, and learned how to do this very hands-on work herself. Megan Assaf is a massage therapist who works with women, and has moved hundreds of uteruses, including Andrea’s. This interview was originally recorded in 2012 for the Sound Medicine Radio Hour. Listen to "<a href="https://www.sideeffectspublicmedia.org/post/can-abdominal-massage-help-painful-menstruation">Can Abdominal Massage Help Painful Menstruation</a>?" This is the last episode of Season One of LadyParts. Thanks to Melissa Davis, Eamon Linehan, Brendon Linehan, Nikki Katz, and Rev Kev Ewing at Baobab Tree Studios in New Haven for their help and support this season. The Ladyparts theme song is by Adam Ragusea. Other music in this episode by Meavy Boy. Our logo is by Jamie Squire. As always, we appreciate a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. If you’re interested in sponsoring a second season, please shoot us an email at ladypartsradio@gmail.com.

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<description>
 &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://wombsforwisdom.com"&gt;Megan Assaf&lt;/a&gt; had extremely painful periods from the beginning. In her late 20s, she found out her uterus was upside down, folded in half, off to the left and stuck behind her colon. She didn’t learn this from a doctor, but from a holistic healer working in a tradition that comes from the Maya people of Belize. What’s more, Megan got her uterus repositioned, and learned how to do this very hands-on work herself. Megan Assaf is a massage therapist who works with women, and has moved hundreds of uteruses, including Andrea’s. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This interview was originally recorded in 2012 for the Sound Medicine Radio Hour. Listen to "&lt;a href="https://www.sideeffectspublicmedia.org/post/can-abdominal-massage-help-painful-menstruation"&gt;Can Abdominal Massage Help Painful Menstruation&lt;/a&gt;?" &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This is the last episode of Season One of LadyParts. Thanks to Melissa Davis, Eamon Linehan, Brendon Linehan, Nikki Katz, and Rev Kev Ewing at Baobab Tree Studios in New Haven for their help and support this season. The Ladyparts theme song is by Adam Ragusea. Other music in this episode by Meavy Boy. Our logo is by Jamie Squire. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As always, we appreciate a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. If you’re interested in sponsoring a second season, please shoot us an email at ladypartsradio@gmail.com.&lt;/p&gt;
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 </description>

Do you know where your uterus is? If you periods are painful, it may be in the wrong place.  Listen to learn why the position of the uterus matters, and how you can stay in alignment. Our guest is Megan Assaf, integrative massage therapist for women.

Womb Massage

This episode is a conversation with Hanifa Nayo Washington and Thema Haida, two women healers who recently opened a holistic healing center in New Haven, Connecticut. The center is called <a href="http://onevillagehealing.org">One Village Healing</a> and it’s a bit different from other holistic health spaces you may have been to - it runs on the values of Healing Justice. That means collective healing from injustice and systems of oppression. Ladyparts takes a wide view on women’s health, and we’re not going to focus on reproductive health today. Rather, we invite you to think about how this approach to caring for ourselves can improve the health of women, people of color, people with disabilities, and other marginalized groups.This episode was recorded on May 1, 2019

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<description>
 &lt;p&gt;This episode is a conversation with Hanifa Nayo Washington and Thema Haida, two women healers who recently opened a holistic healing center in New Haven, Connecticut. The center is called &lt;a href="http://onevillagehealing.org"&gt;One Village Healing&lt;/a&gt; and it’s a bit different from other holistic health spaces you may have been to - it runs on the values of Healing Justice. That means collective healing from injustice and systems of oppression. Ladyparts takes a wide view on women’s health, and we’re not going to focus on reproductive health today. Rather, we invite you to think about how this approach to caring for ourselves can improve the health of women, people of color, people with disabilities, and other marginalized groups.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This episode was recorded on May 1, 2019&lt;/p&gt;
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 </description>

This episode is a conversation with Hanifa Nayo Washington and Thema Haida, women healers who recently opened a holistic healing center in the tradition of Healing Justice. 

Healing Justice

Midwives are specialists in normal physiologic birth, but only about 12 percent of babies in the US are delivered by midwives. In this episode, two midwives make the case for how better integration of midwifery into the US medical system could help lower this country's high rate of maternal mortality, cut down on unnecessary interventions, and make birth a more dignified, healthier experience for moms. First, Joan Combellick, puts midwifery and US maternal health outcomes in a global context. Then, Stephanie Mitchell speaks to the experiences of black women in the maternal health system, and the importance of being an advocate for her patients. Guest 1: Joan Combellick, CNM, MPH, PhD.  Joan Combellick is a certified nurse midwife with 25 years of clinical experience in the Hudson Valley region of New York. Joan is currently working as a Women's Health Research Fellow at the Connecticut VA Health SystemGuest 2: Stephanie Mitchell, CNM, MSN, DNP. Stephanie Mitchell is an advance practice Certified Nurse Midwife in private practice in Providence, Rhode Island. Prior to becoming a midwife she worked for ten years as a labor and delivery nurse at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. Follow Stephanie on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/doctor_midwife/">@doctor_midwife</a> and check out her podcast, <a href="https://anchor.fm/doctor-midwife/embed/episodes/Season-1-Episode-Welcome-e35uge">Doctor Midwife- at Your Cervix</a>. 

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<description>
 &lt;p&gt;Midwives are specialists in normal physiologic birth, but only about 12 percent of babies in the US are delivered by midwives. In this episode, two midwives make the case for how better integration of midwifery into the US medical system could help lower this country's high rate of maternal mortality, cut down on unnecessary interventions, and make birth a more dignified, healthier experience for moms. First, Joan Combellick, puts midwifery and US maternal health outcomes in a global context. Then, Stephanie Mitchell speaks to the experiences of black women in the maternal health system, and the importance of being an advocate for her patients. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Guest 1:&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Joan Combellick, CNM, MPH, PhD&lt;/strong&gt;.  Joan Combellick is a certified nurse midwife with 25 years of clinical experience in the Hudson Valley region of New York. Joan is currently working as a Women's Health Research Fellow at the Connecticut VA Health System&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Guest 2: Stephanie Mitchell, CNM, MSN, DNP&lt;/strong&gt;. Stephanie Mitchell is an advance practice Certified Nurse Midwife in private practice in Providence, Rhode Island. Prior to becoming a midwife she worked for ten years as a labor and delivery nurse at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. Follow Stephanie on Instagram &lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/doctor_midwife/"&gt;@doctor_midwife&lt;/a&gt; and check out her podcast, &lt;a href="https://anchor.fm/doctor-midwife/embed/episodes/Season-1-Episode-Welcome-e35uge"&gt;Doctor Midwife- at Your Cervix&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;
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 </description>

Two midwives from different backgrounds make cases for how better integration of midwifery into the US medical system could help lower the country's high rate of maternal mortality, cut down on unnecessary interventions, and make birth a more dignified, h

Two midwives from different backgrounds make cases for how better integration of midwifery into the US medical system could help lower the country's high rate of maternal mortality, cut down on unnecessary interventions, and make birth a more dignified, healthier experience for moms.

Midwifery and Maternal Health

Endometriosis was identified almost 100 years ago. Over the years, multiple theories have been developed to explain how tissue similar to that of the uterine lining comes to implant in other parts of the pelvis. The origin of the disease is still a matter of disagreement at medical conferences and on social media alike.   Libby Hopton is a research consultant in endometriosis and the founder of the Facebook support and information group <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/endometropolis/">Endometropolis</a>, and a patient. While not a physician, she has evidence-based insider's view. After attending the Endometriosis Foundation of America conference in New York City, Ladyparts host Andrea Muraskin called Hopton to get some clarity on the debate, and how much it matters from a patient perspective.  Related episode:<a href="https://media.transistor.fm/71b58ffa.mp3"> One in Ten- Taking a Wide View on Endometriosis </a>

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<description>
 &lt;p&gt;Endometriosis was identified almost 100 years ago. Over the years, multiple theories have been developed to explain how tissue similar to that of the uterine lining comes to implant in other parts of the pelvis. The origin of the disease is still a matter of disagreement at medical conferences and on social media alike.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Libby Hopton is a research consultant in endometriosis and the founder of the Facebook support and information group &lt;a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/endometropolis/"&gt;Endometropolis&lt;/a&gt;, and a patient. While not a physician, she has evidence-based insider's view. After attending the Endometriosis Foundation of America conference in New York City, Ladyparts host Andrea Muraskin called Hopton to get some clarity on the debate, and how much it matters from a patient perspective. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Related episode:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://media.transistor.fm/71b58ffa.mp3"&gt; One in Ten- Taking a Wide View on Endometriosis &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
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 </description>

Ladyparts host Andrea Muraskin called Libby Hopton to get some clarity on the debate concerning the origin of Endometriosis. 

Bonus Interview: Libby Hopton on the Origins of Endometriosis

March is endometriosis awareness month. But here’s the thing about these months: they tend to highlight something we should be paying more attention to all the time. Endometriosis is a condition in which tissue similar to the lining inside the uterus (called “the endometrium”), is found outside the uterus, where it causes a chronic inflammatory reaction.  Symptoms include painful periods, painful ovulation, painful sex, heavy bleeding, chronic pelvic pain, and fatigue. It’s  also a major cause of infertility. The disease affects an estimated one in ten women in their reproductive years.  In <a href="https://www.andreamuraskin.com/lady-parts-podcast/2018/10/21/ladyparts-begins">Episode One</a>, we took a deep dive into Orilissa, a new hormonal drug developed to treat endometriosis. This time, we’re  zooming out. Guests:Lucky Church, supportive husband of an endometriosis patientLinda Griffith, PhD, Founder &amp; Director, Center for Gynopathology Research, School of Engineering, MIT, and endometriosis patientSerdar E. Bulun, MD, Chair  Dept. OB/GYN, Northwestern Univ. &amp; Prentice Women’s HospitalAmy Jane Melhuish, patient and advocateMarc Possover, MD, President of the International Society Of Neuropelveology and Director, Possover International Medical CenterTamer Seckin, MD, Attending physician Lenox Hill Hospital and Founder, Endometriosis Foundation of America Ladyparts is hosted and produced by Andrea Muraskin, in partnership with Baobab Tree Studios in New Haven, Connecticut. Production help this week from Melissa Davis. The Ladyparts logo is by Jamie Squire, and our theme song is by Adam Ragusea. <a href="https://www.patreon.com/ladypartspod">Support Ladyparts on Patreon</a>.Thanks to the <a href="http://endofound.org/">Endometriosis Association of America</a> for welcoming us at their annual conference.

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<description>
 &lt;p&gt;March is endometriosis awareness month. But here’s the thing about these months: they tend to highlight something we should be paying more attention to all the time. Endometriosis is a condition in which tissue similar to the lining inside the uterus (called “the endometrium”), is found outside the uterus, where it causes a chronic inflammatory reaction. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Symptoms include painful periods, painful ovulation, painful sex, heavy bleeding, chronic pelvic pain, and fatigue. It’s  also a major cause of infertility. The disease affects an estimated one in ten women in their reproductive years. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href="https://www.andreamuraskin.com/lady-parts-podcast/2018/10/21/ladyparts-begins"&gt;Episode One&lt;/a&gt;, we took a deep dive into Orilissa, a new hormonal drug developed to treat endometriosis. This time, we’re  zooming out.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Guests:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Lucky Church&lt;/strong&gt;, supportive husband of an endometriosis patient&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Linda Griffith, PhD&lt;/strong&gt;, Founder &amp;amp; Director, Center for Gynopathology Research, School of Engineering, MIT, and endometriosis patient&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Serdar E. Bulun, MD&lt;/strong&gt;, Chair  Dept. OB/GYN, Northwestern Univ. &amp;amp; Prentice Women’s Hospital&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Amy Jane Melhuish&lt;/strong&gt;, patient and advocate&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Marc Possover, MD&lt;/strong&gt;, President of the International Society Of Neuropelveology and Director, Possover International Medical Center&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Tamer Seckin, MD&lt;/strong&gt;, Attending physician Lenox Hill Hospital and Founder, Endometriosis Foundation of America&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ladyparts is hosted and produced by Andrea Muraskin, in partnership with Baobab Tree Studios in New Haven, Connecticut. Production help this week from Melissa Davis. The Ladyparts logo is by Jamie Squire, and our theme song is by Adam Ragusea. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.patreon.com/ladypartspod"&gt;Support Ladyparts on Patreon&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Thanks to the &lt;a href="http://endofound.org/"&gt;Endometriosis Association of America&lt;/a&gt; for welcoming us at their annual conference.&lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;/strong&gt;
 </description>

March is endometriosis awareness month. But here’s the thing about these months: they tend to highlight something we should be paying more attention to all the time. 

One in Ten: Taking a Wide View on Endometriosis

To make informed decisions about our health, we have to break taboos against publicly discussing our basic bodily functions - and most perplexing symptoms. Ladyparts takes a wide view, attempting to bridge the divide between mainstream medicine and holistic healthcare, and consider all of our options.

To make informed decisions about our health, we have to break taboos against publicly discussing our basic bodily functions - and most perplexing symptoms.

LADYPARTS: taking a wide view on women's health

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