Hormonal

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended healthcare systems around the world, especially reproductive healthcare. People who relied on face-to-face visits with their doctor or timely appointments are now facing cancellations and rescheduling. And those who had employer-based care in countries that have limited alternatives, like the United States, are now asking themselves, “What now?”

We wanted to know more about how COVID-19, as well as the pandemic and recession associated with it, are influencing people’s birth control options and choices. 

On this episode of Hormonal, we’re joined by Gillian Sealy. She's the interim CEO of Power to Decide–a nonprofit in the U.S. focused on preventing unplanned pregnancy and helping young people find a birth control option that works for them. She joins us today from Tampa Bay, Florida.

For more information on today’s episode visit helloclue.com/hormonal. And to find out how to support the work here at Clue, go to Clue.Plus.

“[In our recent survey,] birth control users [ages] 18 to 34 said that birth control has allowed them or their partner to worry about one less thing during the COVID pandemic.”

Episode Links

Nothing quite brings your fertility front and center like a pregnancy. Whether a pregnancy ends in a baby or not, it causes big changes to your body. Hormonal changes, like an increase in estrogen and prolactin, can cause or are directly related to physical changes, such as breast and milk duct growth. 

What do people who’ve just had a pregnancy, need to know about their birth control options afterwards? 

To discuss this, we’re joined by two midwives: Imogen Raye Minton is a home birth midwife and co-founder of the Queer Feminist Midwifery Collective here in Berlin; and Yasmeen Bruckner is a certified nurse, midwife and women's nurse, health practitioner at the University of Washington Northwest Campus Midwives Clinic.

For more information on today’s episode visit helloclue.com/hormonal. And to find out how to support the work here at Clue, go to Clue.Plus.

"There is this like this thing, this idea, that everything should be back to normal by six weeks. And I really try to encourage people to think about how long it took them to grow a baby in their body and the incredible feat it is to birth a baby no matter how you birth your baby."

Further Reading

The birth control pill, which many of us just call "the pill," officially turns 60 years old this year. Instead of just breaking out the cake and candles, we’re telling you the story of the pill. Where did this remarkable invention even come from? And what doors did it open up for our parents and grandparents? 

Additionally, when considering the history of remarkable inventions, how do we address the harm that was done along the way?

“College jobs, families, sex. So much came from the pill. And it came because people suffered for it. That that women, black and brown women in particular, were treated like second class citizens. And, you know, you just, that’s a sad part of the world that we live in.”

Jonathan Eig is the author of Birth of the Pill and joins us from Chicago, Illinois to delve into this fascinating, amazing, and shadowy story. 

For more information on today’s episode visit helloclue.com/hormonal. And to find out how to support the work here at Clue, go to Clue.Plus.

Episode Links

Inequality is all around us and manifests in tricky ways. When it comes to healthcare in particular, for many of us, reproductive care is a large part of how we interact with the healthcare system. 

So how do systems of oppression such as racism, ableism, sexism, and so many more, make it harder for some of us to access reproductive care? 

To talk about this, we’re going to explore the theory of reproductive justice. And who better to explain it than Dr. Loretta Ross. She’s a professor at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, co-founder of the Sister-Song Collective in Atlanta, Georgia, and one of the co-originators of the concept of reproductive justice.

For more information on today’s episode visit helloclue.com/hormonal. And to find out how to support the work here at Clue, go to Clue.Plus. 

“You have to put access in the context of people’s lives; just because you can buy a condom at any gas station doesn’t mean that you’ll be able to persuade your partner under patriarchy to use it.”

Further Reading:

Most people take birth control because they want to avoid getting pregnant. As many of us find out after starting the pill, the shot or getting a device inserted, avoiding pregnancy is not all that happens! There are other shifts in the body that take place when you try something new. 

How to view these side effects is in the eye of the beholder. Some birth control types stop your periods entirely, which might be a relief for some white-jeans wearers, but for others no period could feel less reassuring.

So what side effects are most common when it comes to birth control? And what should we know about when to consult a doctor?

To chat about this, we’re joined by Dr. Gabriela Aguilar. She’s a fellow in Complex Family Planning and a clinical instructor at Yale University in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences.

For more information on today’s episode visit helloclue.com/hormonal. And to find out how to support the work here at Clue, go to Clue.Plus.

"The side effect of not having periods is highly desired by some people. It’s not for others."

Episode Links

You probably know and love someone who’s had an abortion, or maybe you’ve had one yourself. Despite the fact that one in four people capable of getting pregnant will have a termination in their lifetime, finding accurate information about abortions is tricky. While terminating a pregnancy is one of the safest medical procedures out there, the political and social stigma remains. 

Today we’ll talk about the facts and most commonly asked questions from Clue users around abortion, and discuss how access is changing in the age of COVID-19.

For this episode, we spoke to Dr. Stephanie Frazin from San Francisco, California. She's a physician, researcher and family planning fellow and abortion expert at the University of California, San Francisco. 

For more information on today’s episode visit helloclue.com/hormonal. And to find out how to support the work here at Clue, go to Clue.Plus.

Reading list

A big reason why a lot of people start taking hormonal birth control is simple: they’re having sex, and they don't want to risk a pregnancy. But, this isn't true for everyone. Preventing a potential pregnancy is not the only thing that happens when you take a pill, get a device inserted, or get a shot. As your body adjusts to a new method, lots of things can happen, and that can affect how you feel: Sexier or less sexy, more adventurous or less, hotter or maybe less attractive. 

That’s what we’re exploring in today's episode: how hormonal birth control affects your self image and sexual desire, and how to talk about it with your doctor. 

And to do this, we're turning to Clue’s brand new Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Lynae Brayboy. 

For more information on today’s episode visit helloclue.com/hormonal. And to find out how to support the work here at Clue, go to Clue.Plus.

Background Reading

We’ve been hard at work on the latest season of Hormonal, and this time, we’re looking at Birth Control. We’re excited to share this trailer for our new episodes, where we’ll be looking at the science, the side effects, the societal implications, and much more, around birth control. 

Hosted by Rhea Ramjohn, the weekly podcast will feature voices from around the birth control universe. Listeners can look forward to practical tips, deep conversations, and enlightening revelations. New episodes of Hormonal drop every Tuesday starting in October. 

Listen to the trailer now, and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

For more information on visit helloclue.com/hormonal. And, to find out how to support the work here at Clue, go to Clue.Plus.

As we work hard on Season 2 of the Hormonal podcast, we’re dropping into your feed with a special request, and a small behind the scenes interview with your host, Rhea Ramjohn.

While you’re waiting, check out past episodes of the podcast at helloclue.com/hormonal. And, to find out how to support our work at Clue, go to Clue.Plus. 

Everyone has hormones. But for some reason only one gender is seen as the “hormonal” one. How can we reclaim this term? And how can we explore the powers of our hormones—not just the burdens?

For more we’re joined now by Martie Haselton, the author of “Hormonal: The Hidden Intelligence of Hormones.” She’s also a professor of psychology at UCLA. Her book makes the argument that the more we know about our hormones, the more we can harness their evolutionary intelligence to aid our modern day lives. 

For more information on today’s episode visit helloclue.com/hormonal. And to find out how to support the work here at Clue, go to Clue.Plus. 

Want to know the answer to the question at the beginning of the show? Check out The immune system and the menstrual cycle on helloclue.com

Episode Links:

Helloclue.com: Androgens 101

Helloclue.com: Estrogen 101

Helloclue.com: Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) 101

Helloclue.com: What you should know about hormones

Most of us appreciate the work that food does to nourish our bodies. On a macro level, things like proteins help repair muscles and carbohydrates give us energy. But micronutrients, things like vitamins and minerals, are really important to paving the way for hormones to do their jobs. And research suggests that proper nutrition is especially important for periods of big hormonal shifts — such as PMS. 

For more on this research, we're joined by Liz Bertone-Johnson. She's a professor of epidemiology at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

For more information on today’s episode visit helloclue.com/hormonal. And to find out how to support the work here at Clue, go to Clue.Plus. 

Want to know the answer to the question at the beginning of the show? Check out Why does hormonal birth control fail? on helloclue.com

Background Reading:

Helloclue.com: Vegetarianism, veganism, and the menstrual cycle

Helloclue.com: How your gut affects your hormones

Helloclue.com: Diet, nutrition, and the menstrual cycle

Your endocrine system relies on balance. An increase or a drop in one hormone can trigger a drop or rise in another. So changes in your environment, like air or water quality, can affect your hormones, and how you feel during different parts of your cycle. 

And the changes to your hormones can be even more consequential during critical growth periods — like when a fetus is developing and during puberty. 

To discuss this topic and more, we’re joined today by Dr. Shruthi Mahalingaiah. She's a professor at Harvard School of Public Health and a physician at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.

For more information on today’s episode visit helloclue.com/hormonal. And to find out how to support the work here at Clue, go to Clue.Plus. 

Want to know the answer to the question at the beginning of the show? Check out Digestion and your cycle: A conversation between Clue and Cara on helloclue.com.

Episode Links:

Helloclue.com: How I determine the causes of irregular periods

Helloclue.com: Clue lets you know if you’re at risk for PCOS

Many of the effects that hormones have on the body are internal. But there’s definitely one way that fluctuating hormones are visible to us: acne. 

If you’re someone who’s had a few periods already, you probably know when you’re most likely to break out. Or, alternatively, when your hormones are most likely to help your skin look it’s healthiest. But when it comes to skin appearance, there are quite a few factors to keep in mind about what’s under our control—and what’s under the influence of our hormones.

Today we’re joined by Dr. Tiffany Clay from Dermatology Affiliates in Atlanta, Georgia. You can follow her on Instagram @dermdrclay. 

For more information on today’s episode visit helloclue.com/hormonal. And to find out how to support the work here at Clue, go to Clue.Plus. 

Want to know the answer to the question at the beginning of the show? Check out  Hair changes during pregnancy on helloclue.com. 

Episode Links:

Helloclue.com: Skin and the cycle: how hormones affect your skin

Helloclue.com: The chemicals in your skincare products

In 1982, Jane Fonda put out her first exercise video. That VHS tape helped spark an exercise craze. But the exercise craze also made a lot of people suddenly lose their periods. Doctors were confused. Was this a temporary reaction due to all the exercise? Was this forever? Were these women still fertile? 

Our guest today, Virginia Vitzthum, decided to dig in and research these exact questions. Dr. Vitzthum is the head of scientific research at Clue, and a senior scientist at the Kinsey Institute.

For more information on today’s episode visit helloclue.com/hormonal. And to find out how to support the work here at Clue, go to Clue.Plus. 

Want to know the answer to the question at the beginning of the show? Check out Can you get pregnant from “precum”? on helloclue.com.

Background Reading:

Helloclue.com: What is an “irregular” menstrual cycle?

Helloclue.com: Hormones and your environment: a conversation with Dr. Virginia J. Vitzthum

Helloclue.com: Hormones and culture: How reproductive hormones vary across cultures

When women first began competing in elite sports, an important question cropped up: who exactly is a woman? Fears that men would simply plop on a wig and a petticoat in order to compete, to the perceived disadvantage of women, arose, and sporting officials began checking the gender of competitor. 

What started as so-called “naked parades” has morphed into a pseudoscience of hormone testing, clitoris measuring, and suspicion-based investigating. Like many aspects of gender, these cases aren’t simple—as a decade of controversy surrounding South African runner Caster Semenya has shown.

For today’s discussion on sports and hormones Katrina Karkazis. She’s the co-author of “Testosterone: An Unauthorized Biography.” She’s also the Senior Visiting Fellow at the Global Health Justice Partnership at Yale University and the Carol Zicklin chair at Brooklyn College.

For more information on today’s episode visit helloclue.com/hormonal. And to find out how to support the work here at Clue, go to Clue.Plus. 

Want to know the answer to the question at the beginning of the show? Check out Let’s talk about squirting: Why is it important, and what does it feel like? on helloclue.com.

Background Reading: 

Helloclue: What puberty is like as an intersex person

Fact: Right before your period, your hormones and body can change. Myth: you’re automatically going to turn into a weepy, emotional, and irrational B*TCH. 

So how do the cultural perceptions around Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) change how you experience that time of the month? Turns out, a lot. 

For more on this research we’re joined by Jane Ussher. Jane is a professor of women’s health psychology at Western Sydney University. She’s also the author of “The Madness of Women: Myth and Experience." 

For more information on today’s episode visit helloclue.com/hormonal. And to find out how to support the work here at Clue, go to Clue.Plus. 

Want to know the answer to the question at the beginning of the show? Check out “Period blood color: brown, black, or dark — does it matter? on helloclue.com.

Background reading:

Helloclue.com: Tracking your period can help you understand PMS symptoms. Here’s how

Helloclue.com: Premenstrual magnification: Mental health conditions and PMS

Helloclue.com: Positive symptoms of PMS

Helloclue.com: Stress and the menstrual cycle

Helloclue.com: 9 tips for PMS relief

Hormones were only discovered about a hundred years ago. But since then, they’ve taken on a lot of significance, both in science and in western culture. Before we find out how hormones affect just about everything, let’s look at the history of these powerful molecules. 

Our guest this week is Randi Epstein. She’s a doctor, a medical writer and the author of: “Aroused: The History of Hormones and How They Control Just About Everything.”  

For more information on today’s episode visit helloclue.com/hormonal. And to find out how to support the work here at Clue, go to Clue.Plus.

Want to know the answer to the question at the beginning of the show? Go to "Helloclue.com: Getting wet: discharge vs. cervical fluid vs. arousal fluid."

For more on menstrual and medical history: 

Helloclue.com: A short history of modern menstrual productsHelloclue.com: How did menstruation become taboo?

About Hormonal

Hormones affect everyone and everything: from our skin, to stress, to sports. But for most of us, they're still a mystery.

Even the way we talk about hormones makes no sense. ("She's hormonal.")

So let's clear some things up. Each week, Rhea Ramjohn is asking scientists, doctors, and experts to break it all down for us.

A new podcast from Clue. Season 1 launches this fall.

About Clue

Clue is a period tracking app and menstrual encyclopedia that use data and science to help you understand your body. 

Learn more about the Clue app, and check out the work Clue is doing to advance menstrual health research.