Speakers: Dr. Kristina Arion and Zeba Khan

Period pain, also known as dysmenorrhea, is one of the most common menstrual symptoms experienced by youth. 50 to 90% of women experience dysmenorrhea, characterized by a cramping and recurrent pain in the lower abdomen during menstruation. Endometriosis can also cause severe period pain, which occurs in 10% of women. These pains can significantly impact quality of life, relationships, mood and more. There are many different ways to manage period pains, but lack of knowledge, societal normalization of period pain and systematic barriers result in delayed treatment. Let's talk about period pain so that we can improve youth's experience of periods and quality of life.

Zeba Khan is the founder and director of the Free Periods Canada Foundation. She is also a first-year PhD student at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and a Killam doctoral scholar. Her research focuses on barriers and facilitators of seeking care for moderate to severe dysmenorrhea among Canadian youth. In the last six years, Zeba has received over 22 scholarships and awards recognizing her work in academia as well as in the community as a menstrual equity advocate.

Dr. Kristina Arion is an Obstetrician Gynecologist trained at Dalhousie University, and a Pediatric & Adolescent Gynecologist trained at the University of Calgary. She is currently researching pelvic pain in adolescents, advocating for fertility preservation in youth at risk of ovarian failure, and streamlining the care of patients with anorectal malformations in Alberta, which are often associated with Mullerian anomalies.

Speakers: Diana Wark and Nolan Hill

In this podcast talk about how to increase comfort around taking a Sexual History. We will outline the 5Ps Approach to Sexual Histories. The goal of the 5Ps is to improve patient health, not simply to solicit full disclosure of sexual practices, especially if patients are not comfortable. Taking a sexual history is an important part of a regular medical

Diana Wark is a Registered Social Worker and has been with the Centre for Sexuality since 2007. Diana has over 25 years of front-line experience working with diverse populations including sexually exploited children and youth, sex workers, persons with disabilities, older adults, parents and natural supports and LGBTQ2S+ community. She is a passionate facilitator that strives to create lively and transformative learning environments for professionals.

Nolan E. Hill is a Training Centre Facilitator at the Centre for Sexuality in Calgary, AB, Canada. In this role, he facilitates professional development workshops for a variety of professionals around topics related to sexual health and sexuality. He brings background in queer health, HIV, and 2SLGBTQ+ community development to his role. He is passionate about health justice and ensuring queer and trans voices are amplified in the health system. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Women’s Studies from the University of Calgary.

Hi everyone!

Today's recent conversation, which is rather an important one, has been sparked by Europe’s recent decision to pass the first paid 'menstrual leave' law. This new policy has sparked intense debate over whether it will help or hinder women at work, and we're going to chime in on that.