Fempower Health | A Women's Health Podcast

Honoring Bladder Health Month! Originally Published September 2024. In this episode of Fempower Health, Dr. Tamra Lewis, a board-certified urogynecologist, discusses bladder health, UTI misdiagnoses, and how pelvic floor dysfunction, menopause, and the microbiome impact bladder issues in women. Learn how to advocate for better care and understand your symptoms. Bladder Health Episode Summary In th...

Episode Summary Why does it still feel like women aren’t being heard in the doctor’s office? Dr. Sharon Malone joins Georgie Kovacs to unpack the structural, cultural, and economic forces that have eroded trust between women and their healthcare providers. From the loss of physician autonomy to outdated reimbursement systems and the chronic undervaluation of women’s health fields, this candid conv...

Originally Published June 2024. It's Diabetes Awareness Month and Metabolic Health is an important proactive measure! How are metabolism, health, and menopause linked? Listen as Dr. Lara Briden shares insights from her new book, Metabolism Repair for Women. Episode Summary In this episode, we hear from Dr. Lara Briden, naturopathic doctor and celebrated author of “Period Repair Manual.” Dr. Briden...

Episode Summary: Progesterone and progestins sound alike — but they act very differently in a woman’s body. This episode breaks down how that confusion took root and what it means for hormone therapy, contraception, and women’s health research. Endocrinologist  Dr. Jerilynn Prior  and gynecologist  Dr. Jim Simon  join Georgie Kovacs to explore evidence, controversy, and the sys...

Originally Published April 2024. Sharing in honor of ADHD Awareness Month. Dr. Maggie Sibley explains the often-misunderstood reality of women with ADHD, from evaluation and treatment to symptom management and hormonal changes. Episode Summary In this fascinating episode of Fempower Health, Georgie Kovacs is joined by Dr. Maggie Sibley, a renowned women’s ADHD specialist and researcher. As a clini...

Episode Summary The FDA held a rare public hearing to reconsider the safety labels on  vaginal estrogen —a pivotal moment for menopause care. In this episode,  Dr. James Simon , a leading menopause specialist and clinical researcher, joins  Georgie Kovacs  to unpack what the hearing revealed, why the current labeling may do more harm than good, and what it means for millions of...

Honoring Mental Illness Awareness Week. Originally published October 2023. Although not as common as postpartum depression, postpartum psychosis is a real condition that can have devastating consequences on women and families. In this episode of Fempower Health, we discuss this critical and often misunderstood condition.  Joined by the knowledgeable Dr. Theresa Costales, we explore the facts,...

Episode Summary AI is everywhere — from apps on our phones to tools shaping clinical care. But what does it really mean for women’s health? Could AI finally close the health gap — or will it reinforce the same frustrations women already face in the doctor’s office? In this episode of  Fempower Health , Georgie Kovacs sits down with  Dr. Nikita Patel , a pharmacist, biomedical engineer, a...

Originally Published May 2024. Re-sharing in honor of Chronic Pain Awareness Month Are there ways to find pain relief for endometriosis? Listen as Dr. Allyson Shrikhande shares her expert insights on a whole-person approach to pain management.  Episode Summary In this episode of Fempower Health, Georgie Kovacs hosts Dr. Allyson Shrikhande, a specialist in pelvic rehabilitation medicine. They...

Episode Summary Women’s health faces systemic challenges that too often leave women without answers — especially in midlife, when care becomes fragmented and reimbursement models make solutions hard to scale. In this episode of  Fempower Health , Georgie Kovacs speaks with  Joanna Strober , CEO and co-founder of  Midi Health and a seasoned entrepreneur who previously founded Ku...

Originally published March 2021. Resharing in honor of Perimenopause Awareness Month. Dr. Lara Briden is a naturopathic doctor and author of the bestselling books Period Repair Manual and Hormone Repair Manual. She has more than 20 years’ experience in women’s health and currently has a consulting room in Christchurch, New Zealand, where she treats women with PCOS, PMS, endometriosis, perimenopaus...

Longevity isn’t just about living longer — it’s about living better. In this episode of  Fempower Health , host  Georgie Kovacs  sits down with  Roma van der Walt , a sports scientist, women’s health strategist, and CEO of  Vitelle , to unpack  what longevity really means for women . Roma explains why the  biohacking trend  often overlooks female physiology,...

Originally Released October 2021 Dr. Mindy Pelz, D.C speaks about how women should incorporate intermittent fasting based on where they are in their cycle and over their life span of reproductive years, perimenopause, and menopause.  Dr Mindy is a best selling author, keynote speaker, nutrition and functional medicine expert who has spent over two decades helping thousands of people successfu...

Episode Overview TikTok banned my anatomy quiz. The reason? I showed an anatomically correct clitoris model and asked people to guess what it was. No explicit words. No graphic content. Just science. This is  exactly  why Saundra Pelletier, CEO of  Evofem Biosciences , launched  #SayVaginaMonth —a movement to fight censorship, challenge stigma, and normalize medically accurate...

With new conversations on longevity coming up, I wanted to bring back this interview so you can revisit (or hear for the first time) the key insights that are still shaping how we think about women and aging. Originally Published October 2023 The ovaries play a key role in overall health, not just reproduction. More scientific findings are revealing that the ovaries even influence mood, behavior,...

Episode Summary In this episode, Georgie Kovacs, founder of Fempower Health, unpacks the recent FDA hearing on SSRI use during pregnancy —an emotionally charged and complex conversation that brought together OB-GYNs, psychiatrists, pharmacologists, and advocates. Drawing on over 25 years in healthcare consulting and six years interviewing global women's health leaders, Georgie offers a balanced, d...

It's Fibroid Awareness Month and this is an important topic to have front and center in your listening feed! Originally Published April 2025 Uterine Fibroids: What You’re Not Being Told About Your Treatment Options Uterine fibroids affect up to  80% of women by age 50 , yet most are not given the full range of treatment options. In this episode, I speak with leading fibroid experts—including...

The FDA finally held a hearing on menopause—and it was long overdue. Georgie Kovacs breaks down the powerful expert testimony, the systemic failures, and why this matters for every woman navigating midlife care. In this grounded recap, you’ll learn: Why the FDA’s black box warning on vaginal estrogen may be misleading The difference between systemic and local hormone absorption—and why it matters...

Your body is talking to itself all the time — through your gut, brain, and hormones. This week, we trace how these hidden threads shape health, pain, mental focus, and even policy momentum for menopause and endometriosis. What You’ll Learn The Gut Microbiome & Chronic Pain New research shows your gut microbiome may hold “signatures” for chronic pain conditions — but personalized treatment isn’...

Episode Summary Why do so many women feel dismissed in healthcare — even when they see good doctors? The problem isn’t always the people — it’s the cultural stories we’ve told about what “matters.” Inspired by sports journalist Kate Fagan’s TED Radio Hour insight on women’s sports, Georgie draws a powerful parallel to women’s health: when we don’t tell clear stories or define the stakes, we leave...

Episode Summary Celiac disease is often dismissed as just a gluten issue — but for millions, the reality is far more complex. In this episode, Fempower Health breaks down two new studies showing: Why diagnosis is still delayed — especially for women, people of color, and patients with clear symptoms. How an immune “scar” in the gut can cause ongoing symptoms, even with a strict gluten-fr...

Episode Summary: In this episode of the  Fempower Health Podcast , we unpack one of the most important shifts happening in gynecology that few patients know about:  salpingectomy —the removal of the fallopian tubes—is replacing tubal ligation in many cases as a way to  reduce ovarian cancer risk . Research has shown that most ovarian cancers actually begin in the fallopian tubes, no...

Episode Summary: Breast Cancer Prevention Just Took Two Big Steps Forward In this short but powerful episode, Georgie breaks down two groundbreaking developments in breast cancer prevention that could reshape how we think about screening, menopause care, and early intervention: 1️⃣ An  FDA-authorized AI tool — Clairity Breast —that predicts a woman’s five-year breast cancer risk  from a...

Episode Overview In this episode, I take a closer look at compounded medications—what they are, when they’re used, and the important nuances behind their growing popularity. From hormone therapy and menopause care to semaglutide and GLP-1s, compounded meds are often described as personalized solutions. But these treatments exist in a regulatory gray area, with real variability in quality, saf...

What Every Patient and Clinician Should Know About the 2025 Guidelines for IUD Insertion Pain Management For years, patients have reported severe pain during IUD insertions—only to be told it's "just a pinch." Now, the  American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)  and the  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)  have issued updated guidance that changes...