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 conversations about women’s bodies.

• Why female anatomy gets censored while male terms don’t
• How stigma in language leads to silence in the exam room
• Why even doctors avoid sexual health—and how to change that
• Why naming body parts correctly is critical for safety, consent & care
• What you can do to join #SayVaginaMonth and push back against bans

If we can’t say vagina or clitoris without fear of being banned, how can we expect healthcare, policy, or research to serve women properly? Words shape awareness. Awareness shapes care. Silence keeps us in the shadows.

• Connect with Saundra Pelletier on LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok

1. Help others discover Fempower Health:

Leave a quick review on Apple or Spotify. It’s the easiest way to support our mission and amplify women’s health voices.

2. Stay connected:

Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok, YouTube for real-time updates, expert insights, and relatable conversations.

Or join our newsletter to get curated women's health content—on your terms, in your inbox.

**Top 50 Health Podcast of 2024**

**The information shared by Fempower Health is not medical advice but for informational purposes to enable you to have more effective conversations with your doctor. Always talk to your doctor before making health-related decisions. Additionally, the views expressed by the Fempower Health podcast guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.**

**May contain affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links**

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, and longevity. In this episode, Dr. Jennifer Garrison from the Buck Institute for Research on Aging explains the intricate relationship between the brain and reproductive organs. She covers topics including the science of aging, the “hypothalamus pituitary gonadal axis”, menopause and health, hormone replacement therapy, and the importance of understanding ovarian function.

Dr. Jennifer Garrison is a PhD scientist and the head of a research lab at the Buck Institute, an independent institute dedicated to studying aging as a risk factor for diseases. Listen as Dr. Garrison explores how age is the primary risk factor for most chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases.

Discussed in this episode:

• How the brain controls female physiology, including reproductive function
• Early menopause and POI/POF
• Menopause and how it relates to overall health
• The fascinating story women’s ovaries can tell us about aging
• Understanding hormones as messengers in the body
• The impact of diet and exercise on aging and fertility
• How understanding the aging process can help target and treat age-related diseases
• Hormone replacement therapy for hormonal imbalances during aging
• Physical and emotional symptoms associated with periods, motherhood, and menopause

Related to this episode:

• Related episodes: Primary Ovarian Insufficiency (POI) and Menopause | Dr. Mandy Leonhardt
• Related episode: Women’s Health and the Ovulation Cycle | Dr. Jerilynn Prior
• Dr. Garrison’s Lab at Buck Institute: www.buckinstitute.org/lab/garrison-lab
• Dr. Jennifer Garrison on Twitter and LinkedIn
• Find Global Consortium for Reproductive Longevity and Equality (GCRLE) on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn

• Resources and episodes on Breaking Taboos

• Recommended Books on Hormones and Menstrual Health

• Resources and episodes on

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, deeply informed analysis of the real conversation that took place—beyond the headlines and controversy.

This wasn’t just a debate about antidepressants in pregnancy. It was a wider reckoning with how we define mental health, how we treat it, and the pressures facing clinicians and patients in a fragmented system. From risk-benefit tradeoffs and informed consent to how “depression” is diagnosed and operationalized, this episode explores what was said, what was missing, and what we need next.

Whether you're a woman seeking clarity or a clinician striving to provide the best care, this episode breaks it all down.

• What actually happened at the FDA panel on SSRIs and pregnancy?
• Are SSRIs overprescribed—or unfairly stigmatized—during pregnancy?
• Is "depression" too broad of a diagnosis?
• How do mental health diagnoses affect treatment decisions for pregnant women?
• Why is informed consent inconsistent in SSRI prescribing?
• What are the long-term risks of untreated maternal depression?
• Are OB-GYNs expected to manage too much—including mental health?
• How does limited access to psychiatrists shape treatment options?
• What does better mental healthcare look like during pregnancy?
• Should we rethink how we integrate psychotherapy, medication, and lifestyle care?

• OB-GYNs treating pregnant patients on SSRIs
• Psychiatrists both prescribing and deprescribing antidepressants
• Academic researchers investigating serotonin’s effects on fetal development
• Advocacy leaders spotlighting systemic barriers to mental health care

• FDA Hearing: https://www.fda.gov/patients/fda-expert-panels/fda-expert-panel-selective-serotonin-reuptake-inhibitors-ssris-and-pregnancy-07212025
• ACOG Response to FDA Hearing: https://www.acog.org/news/news-releases/2025/07/statement-on-benefit-of-access-to-ssris-during-pregnancy
• Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) Statement https://www.smfm.org/news/smfm-statement-on-ssris-and-pregnancy
• Regulatory Focus Responds: https://www.raps.org/news-and-articles/news-articles/2025/7/fda-panel-debates-label-change-on-ssri-use-during
• STAT News Responds: https://www.statnews.com/2025/07/25/ssri-drugs-fda-review-panel-antidepressants-pregnancy/
• National Curriculum in Reproductive Psychiatry (NCRP) Responds: https://ncrptraining.org/press-release-ncrp-responds-to-fda-panel-on-ssri-use-in-pregnancy/

1. Help others discover Fempower Health:

Leave a quick review on Apple or Spotify. It’s the easiest way to support our mission and amplify women’s health voices.

2. Stay connected:

Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and