In this week’s episode I interview Dr. Julie Hennegan. Dr. Julie Hennegan is a Research Associate at Johns Hopkins
Bloomberg School of Public Health. She undertakes mixed-methods research
exploring the design and evaluation of complex social interventions for women’s
health. Julie leads multiple programs of menstrual health and hygiene research
at Johns Hopkins, including a multi-country project to improve the definition
and measurement of core constructs in menstrual health research.
In this episode, Dr. Hennegan and I talk about what’s called menstrual hygiene management, and how what we assume menstruators need isn’t always what they actually need. I also really appreciated what Dr. Hennegan had to say about making sure that the evidence we collect on menstruation and menstrual hygiene is good. That is, when we have the best of intentions it’s tempting to read more into what is currently not a strong evidence base. You’ll see what she means in the interview, so have a listen.
Dr. Julie Hennegan
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Call or write me! I am collecting two things right now: your period questions, and first period stories. Leave me a voicemail with either or both at 262-PERIOD-2 (262-737-4632). Don’t forget to tell me how to contact you if you don’t mind my following up.
Join me as I interview the brilliant Dr. Jodi Flaws of the University of Illinois on her research on how phthalates affect the female reproductive system. I’m grateful for the research on how endocrine disrupting chemicals affect kids… but not enough folks seem to center their research on direct effects of women. Learn about what our cosmetics, toys, and food contain, how to reduce exposure to these chemicals, and the kinds of effects these chemicals have on our menstrual cycles, menopausal symptoms, and more.
I was lucky to just have to bike a few miles for this interview, because we work at the same university. I’m also lucky enough to get to have lunch with Jodi about once a month as part of a women faculty mentoring group. Dr. Flaws is a Professor in Comparative Biosciences at the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Illinois. Dr. Flaws’ research program is mainly focused on determining the mechanisms by which environmental chemicals affect the development and function of the ovary. Her research is funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health and Environmental Protection Agency. She has published over 200 peer-reviewed papers that have involved extensive participation and authorship by graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, veterinary medical students, and undergraduate students. She is the recipient of the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, University of Maryland Student Mentoring Award, the Patricia Sokolove Outstanding Mentor Award, the Dr. Gordon and Mrs. Helen Kruger Research Excellence Award, the Pfizer Animal Health Award for Research Excellence, the University Scholar Award, the Women in Toxicology Mentoring Award from the Society of Toxicology, and the Society for the Study of Reproduction Trainee Mentor Award.
Do you want to be a patron, or is there someone in your life who would want to be? Check out my Patreon page for ways to support this podcast. Help me make beautiful things!
Want a better PERIOD?
Subscribe to PERIOD so you don’t miss an episode! Subscribing, especially on Apple Podcasts, helps us a ton with promoting the podcast and getting the word out to more people. So does leaving a review, so please do that too!
Call or write me! I am collecting two things right now: your period questions, and first period stories. Leave me a voicemail with either or both at 262-PERIOD-2 (262-737-4632). Don’t forget to tell me how to contact you if you don’t mind my following up.
Show notes: The mother of menstrual cycle research is here! I spoke with Dr. Jerilynn Prior, one of my personal heroines, about her early and more recent work on menstrual cycles, perimenopause, and estrogen. Dr. Prior made several important interventions in clinical research on the menstrual cycle, asking: Why are we comparing two groups of women who are so different, then blaming all those differences on physical activity? Why are we acting as though physical activity is so damaging to fertility? And, why do we do so little to translate this work to the menstruators who so desperately need it?
Jerilynn C. Prior BA, MD, FRCPC (former ABIM, ABEM) is a Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolism at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC. She has spent her career studying menstrual cycle and the effects of the cycle’s changing estrogen and progesterone hormone levels on women’s health. She is the founder (2002) and Scientific Director of the Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research (CeMCOR). CeMCOR is actively researching women’s health and has a very accessible, informative website. I especially recommend the pages on several common conditions that affect menstruators, most especially her page on perimenopause as well as heavy or unusual menstrual bleeding.
Dr. Jerilynn Prior
Do you want to be a patron, or is there someone in your life who would want to be? Check out my Patreon page for ways to support this podcast. Help me make beautiful things!
Want a better PERIOD?
Subscribe to PERIOD so you don’t miss an episode! Subscribing, especially on iTunes, helps us a ton with promoting the podcast and getting the word out to more people. So does leaving a review, so please do that too!
Call or write me! I am collecting two things right now: your period questions, and first period stories. Leave me a voicemail with either or both at 262-PERIOD-2 (262-737-4632). Don’t forget to tell me how to contact you if you don’t mind my following up.
