I joined this group because the name was Women’s Health but there is definitely an overwhelming number of posts from children. And I get that they might not have somebody to ask in real life but some of these posts, do they genuinely not teach the very basics of sex education anymore??

But also I just find it quite uncomfortable when somebody hasn’t disclosed their age but you can tell that they are in fact very young and I don’t think some of the things they’re asking are appropriate. And some of the follow up questions aren’t appropriate either and make me wonder who’s actually asking and what their intentions are. Let’s not kids ourselves this group is only women.

Anyway sorry if this isn’t an appropriate post but I’m really struggling with this sub and the content and it’s a shame.

Hi, hopefully this information helps. I am almost 28 years old and I am a married lesbian woman living in the U.S. I’ve only had one sexual partner who is my wife. I’ve never had a Pap smear and I’m VERY scared to get one. It has gotten to the point that I’ve refused to get one when the doctor mentions it to me. When I was 19 years old I had a bad heavy period that ultimately led me going to the hospital and they had 3 nurses in there who had to help put a vaginal specula in my vagina. I was struggling because I was so uncomfortable with the amount of nurses and I was being asked why they couldn’t fit the specula all the way in there and one of the nurses asked me straight up if I was ever sexually abused. I was shocked when she asked me that and ever since then I’ve been traumatized and won’t allow any doctor or nurse near my private area. I would like to add that I have diagnosed anxiety and PTSD. I will not get a Pap smear while awake.

Anyways, last year I did my research about the at home HPV tests and I took the test, replacing the Pap smear. Can I just stick with the HPV tests or do I really need a Pap smear? I want to make sure that I’m doing the right thing for my health, but also I need to be comfortable. My current doctor had no clue what a HPV test is and has been no help.

hi all! i need to rant about this and id love any advice if possible.

i’m f24 and went to the ER last tuesday because i kept getting an intense sharp pain in my abdomen. it was making me nauseous and i threw up on monday from the pain. i waited 9 hours in the waiting room to finally be seen. after describing my symptoms the doctor said that he thought it could be appendicitis or something with my ovaries so he wanted to do a vaginal exam to determine which tests to run next. i asked if there was a female doctor that could do it and he said he was the only one that could but he’d have a female nurse in the room. they took me back to a private room and had me undress. when he came in to do it i was a bit nervous because i had never had a man do a vaginal exam on me before. i also have a history of SA so i was just very anxious. maybe that caused me to tense, im not sure. i tried to relax but as soon as he put his fingers in i physically recoiled from the pain and couldn’t even speak for a moment. while i was trying to calm down from the pain i heard the doctor scoff and tell the nurse that it was just because i didn’t want a man to do it and then he left for me to get dressed. the nurse checked on me later and seemed to actually care but this was still my first red flag from this doctor.

he decided that because of my reaction he was going to have me get an ultrasound. so i went and they did an ultrasound over my abdomen and also a vaginal ultrasound. they then attempted to see my appendix through an ultrasound and couldn’t get a clear view. the vaginal ultrasound also hurt at first when she was inserting it but after i helped guide it in it only hurt a little bit.

then they sent me for a CT scan to see my appendix. the paper work later says that they couldn’t get a clear view of my appendix due to lack of fat around the area.

all of that leads to the prognosis. he said that he suspected it to be intermittent ovarian torsion, follow up with gynecology, and discharged me from the ER. i had been in that ER since 11:30pm the night before and by this time it was 2:30pm so i was exhausted and didn’t ask any questions despite not knowing what that even meant. but in my head i thought okay it’s not an emergency at least.

when i got home i looked it up and was immediately concerned. my ovary can die if its not treated?? so i called to make an appointment with a gynecologist and i mentioned on the phone that it was suspected intermittent ovarian torsion. they said they can’t get me in until october 13th.

then i started looking at my test results and i’ve been so confused and frustrated. it says on the results that no cysts were seen on the ultrasound. so if that’s the case im confused how it could be ovarian torsion.

regardless, now im in intermittent pain for who knows how long. gynecology can’t see me until mid october and who knows if that’s even the right answer.

as of now, i’m still experiencing terrible pain and it seems to be getting worse. last night i started feeling nauseous at 6pm, took a nap until 8pm, when i woke up i was even more nauseous and the nausea kept getting worse until around 10pm when the pain hit and i was on my bathroom floor shaking, sweating, lightheaded, and in severe pain for at least 20 minutes. on top of that, in the past week ive noticed my heart rate is constantly 90-100+ and im starting to get pain in other areas too. the same level of pain that started on my right side is now on my left as well. the pain also radiates now to my side all the way up to under my ribs. sometimes the pain is just enough to be annoying, other times it takes my breath away from how sudden and sharp it is. sometimes it lasts a few seconds and at its worst it lasts 20-30 minutes. it comes solo sometimes and other times it’s in bursts where it’ll be a few seconds of pain every 3-10 minutes for a while. sometimes i’ll go hours without the pain.

i don’t know what it actually is, i don’t know if it really is intermittent ovarian torsion, but i can’t keep doing this. for the past week im always either nauseous, lightheaded, or in pain. and they want me to do this until mid october at least? and if it is ovarian torsion am i supposed to just be in pain until then and risk my ovary dying in the mean time?

i feel so helpless right now and it really feels like the doctors i’ve spoken to don’t care. if anyone has any advice on what to do for the symptoms it would be greatly appreciated but i think i mostly needed to get this frustration off my chest. thank you for reading

The first time I experienced symptoms was June 6th 2025.
I woke up and thought I had to poop so went to the toilet but I couldn't go, I stood up from the toilet and the pain hit me, i crumpled over in pain, held my stomach and walked to bed. Honestly I thought I tried too hard to poop and it pulled a muscle (idk that's the only thing that made sense).
I rolled around in pain for a while, before I finally called my mom because I thought I was dying, half way through the call it calmed down and then it was tolerable kind of period like cramping for the rest of the day.

The next few times were the same thing, pain in my lower abdominal that felt like it was from hip bone to hip bone. It all started as what felt like a bowel movement and I would go/try to go, then after standing the pain shortly started. No nausea and no fever from what I could tell.

I finally scheduled an appointment with my gynecologist because it happened at work and I was convinced my IUD had moved out of place again. She ordered an Ultrasound and I finally had that done yesterday on Monday.

I got the results today and it says this:

“Enlarged right ovary with a 6 cm multiseptated cystic structure which could represent a multiseptated indeterminate cystic lesion versus adjacent cysts including a 4 cm functional cyst and a 4 cm probable hemorrhagic cyst. Of note, the enlarged size of the ovary places it at increased risk of torsion. While color Doppler flow is maintained, intermittent torsion cannot be excluded. If there is clinical concern for torsion, urgent gynecology evaluation would be recommended. Otherwise, recommend a follow-up pelvic ultrasound in 8-12 weeks to assess for change versus contrast-enhanced MRI.”

After a ton of googling research, i feel like what I read about the pain and how people describe it sounds a lot like what I have experienced. I’m still waiting to hear back from gynecologist, she called right before close and I missed the call so hopefully tomorrow I can answer and see what they say. I’m just interested in hearing what other people think

I constantly feel like I need to pee really badly, even if I just went pee. When I go pee these times not a lot of liquid comes out, certainly not enough to warrant the level of pressure I feel on my bladder. I can go pee and then leave the bathroom, just to have to squeeze my legs together because I have to go pee again just a few minutes later.

I don't feel any stinging, or blood, or anything, so I'm not sure if it's a UTI, but I'm not sure what to do. Any advice would be appreciated.

Hey so I usually get my period around the end of the month the last months period was strange. I had it for 6 to 7 days like usual but when I get off of it a couple days later, I noticed that it will come back for like a day and when he came back, it will start off with brown blood then later in the day, I noticed it would be like a dark red and then it’ll go away and just disappear then a new month came in it towards the time that my period would usually come around this time I’m experiencing light cramps and sore breast, but I just want to know if like this is normal

I’ve had about 8 UTIs in the past 2 years and every single time I get it, the symptoms are worse and it progresses much faster. I go to urgent care right away to get antibiotics but I’ve noticed that the more I get, the more serious it is and the longer it takes for antibiotics to work. Is the infection causing some structural damage? Anyone who also deals with this, please share.

TLDR: i bleed during rough sex but stops very soon after we stop, normal??

long story now🤣 so a year ago i met my ex partner we had rough sex and one day i bled a lot and it carried on i thought it was because it had been a while and we do it rough but i felt off so i went to doctors and LOW and behold i had chlamydia which gave me no symptoms other than the bleeding after hard sex. got rid of that and him all good. fast forward i meet my new partner we also have rough sex and a couple of times now we’ve done it pretty hard and i notice im bleeding afterwards. it’s not when we have less rough sex only when it’s pretty rough and i can feel it hitting my cervix hard. it goes away and i don’t notice any bleeding after we stop nor do i notice any during anything else or “normal” sex. i got tested a couple weeks after we first hooked up to make sure it was all good and i was all clear. we’re a couple months in now and im just wondering does anyone else have this? is it purely because we’re goin at it pretty rough? my cervix does hurt a bit after and i get a tender belly down there but it doesn’t hurt to the point where im in real pain. should i go and get tested or go to the doctors? i’ve had a smear done once before (21f) as cervical cancer is in my family and she said all looks good so i dont think theres anything wrong cervix wise. i am on birth control. just worried sorry for tmi!! x

Hi I’m 23 (if that matters) and I’ve been on my period for about 2 weeks straight. I take a BC pill and I took it a day late because but my period came anyway so i stopped taking it for 5 days which is how long my periods usually last but it never went away. That was 2 weeks ago. I’ve been taking my BC consistently for the last week but I’ve still had constant bleeding or spotting each day. I don’t know how to proceed from here. Should I stop taking my BC again and just wait for my period to be officially over or is this something serious i should see a doctor about. (Ps I’m not really having any pms symptoms just light bleeding)

so today i was denied more of my contraceptive patch (Enva) due to headaches & visual “aura” - wavy lines and dizziness. that being said this was the 3rd birth control i’ve tried in the last 6 years, finally one that worked for me… now i’ve got to look into changing it, the nurse gave me four options, 1. depo (jag) which ive already had & didn’t work with me 2. mini pill and another that didn’t work with me, 3. coil 4. implant.

some i’m here asking advice and opinions on what people think is the best route to go down, tell me your experiences on the coil and implant pls!

As the title says, every time my husband finishes inside of me I get a really smelly, fishy and bleachy BV for 1-3 days. My discharge will be yellow and I’m tired of it. Problem is, we are trying to conceive so we are having sex multiple times a week.

I know it’s semi normal for this to happen due to the PH being thrown off but is there anything I can do to help this? Or am I just stuck being smelly while we TTC? Lol. Nothing makes me want to be touched more than smelling bad down there. And yes we are both clean for STDs and are both hygienic people who shower 1-2 times a day, no new soaps or anything.

I’m F26, never given birth, never done a pap smear, the most I’ve done is transvaginal ultrasound and pelvic exam. I have PCOS and been bleeding for 1yr & 9m straight so my OBGYN scheduled me for hysteroscopy with biopsy.

I’m terrified. I’m also nervous about anesthesia since I’ve never had to have it and I just don’t like not feeling in control. So, I agreed to do it in-office without sedation. I did ask to have numbing gel & spray and they prescribed me ativan and something else for before the biopsy.

I only see negative experiences (obviously people don’t usually write about positive ones), so I’d like to know if anyone has had an okay experience. What’s the pain like? Is it truly quick? How did you feel?

Thank you.

i had a foul odor discharge after unprotected sex and i had it for like 10 days now, i dont know what to do because i think it will go away but it doesn't. any recommendations what should i do ?

Is it acceptable to stretch myself about 45mins beforehand? I have an overactive pelvic floor and previous attempts to get a smear have been unsuccessful due to an iety/extreme discomfort when they put the device in.

Any one diagnosed and not looking to conceive? I’m 35 years old. I had a tubal ligation 14 years ago I was just diagnosed with right hydrosalpinx: 5.9 × 2.0 × 2.2 cm — an enlarged,fluid-filled fallopian tube. After excruciating right groin and right lower back pain. Got discharged with antibiotics, pain medication and follow up appointment. Anyone here who has had same or similar experience? What to expect? Thank you in advance.

My daughter is 5 years old now. She stopped breastfeeding when she was 2, but I’m still producing breast milk, and it just won’t stop.

My doctor told me not to touch or stimulate my breasts too much and to avoid sexual stimulation, but even then, the milk production hasn’t stopped.

If I skip the medication for even one day, the milk starts coming back. In fact, I seem to overproduce it. My breasts become full again within 6–8 hours.

Because of this, I’ve also been having severe back problems.

EXCLUSIVE: US refusals of crucial newborn vitamin spike, raising risk of dangerous bleeding

Refusals in US hospitals of vital newborn vitamin rose 57% from January-June, analysis finds. Girl babies more likely than boys to not receive the shot within a day of birth, data shows. Doctors express growing concern over rising risk of catastrophic bleeding in newborns. Health agency says it is evaluating data and surveillance related to vitamin K refusals and bleeding events.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us-refusals-crucial-newborn-vitamin-spike-raising-risk-dangerous-bleeding-2026-09-01/

I have not had my period since June 11th and I'm getting annoyed because idk what's wrong? I went to an OBGYN they did a hormonal blood test and a transvaginal ultrasound and a stomach ultrasound but I won't get my ultrasound results until the 14th for my follow up but I got my blood results. My testosterone is a little high and my vitamin D is really low but everything else is normal and within range I'm just trying to get my period because I feel like I'm not normal without my period. I don't know how to explain it. I just need vent to the other ladies because men don't understand. I've never been on birth control and it's never been this late before. Usually, it's like a couple days late or a couple days early but never months late.

Hi all, I’ve been navigating through shaving creams and they all seem to mess with my ph or sting a bit down there when I shave. I went to the drug store yesterday and came to think that maybe yall can help me pick a healthy shaving cream to shave down there.

I’ve no budget and would like anything organic and if it helps I use the Gillette Venus pubic hair and skin razor. Perhaps, someone can also recommend me a good razor as I’m struggling to remove hairs in the upper middle part.

Thank you in advance!

About two weeks ago, I experienced bleeding after sex for the first time. It was in doggy style and my partner said I started bleeding almost immediately. It felt mildly uncomfortable as we began due to some friction, but this didn’t last long and afterwards I felt no pain. I’ve experienced friction before but it has never caused bleeding. The bleeding was small to begin with but then became almost like a period. It lasted a couple of days. I went to a sex clinic where they ruled out stis. They also did a cervix screening and said everything looked normal. They did note that the bleeding looked a lot like a period. However, it didnt make sense for me to have a period, as I had finished my period 10 days prior to this happening. My periods are also always regular. Nonetheless, I thought maybe my period has started and it was a one time thing. However, I had sex yesterday and today I noticed blood in my underwear. During sex, I started feeling sore so we stopped. We had sex three times yesterday, twice in missionary and once in doggy. I felt very aroused all the times. I have booked an appointment with the GP for next week but I am feeling anxious. Does anyone know what it could be?

Hello!

Since I have removed my copper IUD I have been occasionally hit by an intense spark of a cramp. It usually shoots from my butthole to the lower right part of my stomach. I have never had this before, it feels different than the dull wave of uterus cramping this feels like an electric zap. I typically notice it on the right side. I initially thought this was ovulation pain, but it has been happening with more frequency. I am not trying for a baby, I use condoms.

Any ideas?

i am a 21 year old woman. two years ago i wanted to get on birth control because i have a heavy period.

i got told that i had to go to the gyno to be prescribed a birth control pill. so my mom brought me to her gyno to have my first appointment.
the problem is that, i got told that it was mandatory for me to have a pelvic exam, transvaginal ultrasound and a pap smear in order to get on birth control. both by my mother and the gyno.

i recently checked my country’s law and it is in fact NOT mandatory to undergo such invasive procedures in order to get on birth control.

i feel raped. when the gyno told me i had to get those procedures, i asked her if they were necessary. she told me yes. i didn’t know i had the right to say no. nobody told me, neither my mother nor the gyno.

i dont know what to do. i’ve had other bad experiences with doctors when i was younger (when i was 15 a male doctor foced me to take off my bra in front of other people, and again i didnt know i could have said no), so i was already not eager to go to the gyno appointment, but now that i know i was taken advantage of because of my ignorance, i feel violated and stupid.

i have slowly started refusing any type of medical attention, starting from invasive medical procedures to even simple checkups because i am extremely afraid they will do something against my will. i dont want to be touched or seen by doctors, because apparently they dont care about the patient’s consent as long as it benefits them.

i feel so dumb because i was 19 so i should’ve known better but sadly i was raised with the “the doctor is all powerful” rhetoric, so i didn’t know i could say no to any medical procedure until fairly recently.

So I know I’ve waited a SUPER LONG TIME to finally get it done, since I’m going to be 34 on Thursday, so please don’t judge me. After 15+ years of having major anxiety about going to the doctor and not having one, I finally was referred to a PCP after an ER visit (completely unrelated of anything pap related), and I was super comfortable with her in my first 60 minute new patient visit. I explained to her how I’ve never had a Pap Smear before and how anxious I was about it. I was even honest, because everyone has different grooming habits down there, and told her that my brain works in silly ways thinking they will judge me or something. To which she responded with “it’s like a penis, when you’ve seen one you’ve seen them all”, lol. So I FINALLY worked up the courage and asked her about doing it. My appointment is on Wednesday, and even though I’m comfortable with her, I’m still just super nervous! I’ve asked friends and they all say it doesn’t hurt, but I’ve also read horror stories on here. Please help me know what to expect!!