Fempower Health | A Women's Health Podcast

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, deeply informed analysis of th...

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 minimally invasive surgeons, in...

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
• How testosterone access for women r...

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’t there yet. What do...

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 research gaps, funding gaps,...

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-free diet.
• What this means fo...

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, not the ovaries. But outdated coding...

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 standard mammogram, even when it ...

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, safety, and effectiveness.

This ...

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 everything.

This episode breaks...

What Your Period Is Trying to Tell You: PMDD, Endo, PCOS & More

Your period isn’t just a monthly inconvenience—it’s a diagnostic tool.

In this episode of Fempower Health, Georgie breaks down how period patterns can reveal chronic conditions like:

• PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder)
• Endometriosis
• PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome)
• Fibroids
• Adenomyosis

Episode Overview:

You’ve heard of the nervous system, the endocrine system, and the immune system. But what about the endocannabinoid system (ECS)—the one that helps regulate all of them?

In this episode, Georgie breaks down one of the most overlooked systems in human biology. Discovered through cannabis research but far more than a cannabis issue, the ECS plays a critical role in maintaining balance across mo...

🎧 Episode Summary:

Over 50% of women with chronic vaginal pain considered giving up on care altogether, according to a new JAMA Network Open study co-authored by Drs. Jill Krapf and Chailee Moss. In this episode, Georgie breaks down the findings, explores why this kind of dismissal is so common in women’s health, and explains how communication—not just diagnosis—can make or break care.

If you’ve ever been told “ev...

Episode Overview

In this episode of Fempower Health, we break down one of the most common—and misunderstood—conditions women face after menopause: Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM).

Often referred to by symptoms like vaginal dryness, painful sex, burning with urination, or frequent UTIs, GSM affects nearly half of postmenopausal women. Yet many women are never told it has a name—let alone that it’s tre...

Adenomyosis is one of the most underdiagnosed conditions in women’s health. It causes heavy periods, chronic cramping, and fertility challenges—yet many women are told their pain is normal or misdiagnosed with endometriosis alone.

In this episode of the Fempower Health podcast, I share key points that Dr. Ken Sinervo, Medical Director at the Center for Endometriosis Care, shared in our recent interview. The episode breaks down...

In this episode of Fempower Health, we explore the promises and pitfalls of AI in women’s healthcare. From misdiagnosis to underrepresentation in clinical trials, AI has the potential to revolutionize—or reinforce—the medical inequities women face.

What We Cover:

• How AI models are trained on male-centric data
• Examples of how AI misdiagnoses women
• How AI may perpetuate issues in the way women's health is reimbursed
• What the WHI...

Did you know that many women undergo hysterectomies without fully understanding their options?

Hysterectomy is one of the most common surgeries performed on women—but too often, patients aren’t given the full picture. From what should (and shouldn’t) be removed to the long-term effects on hormone balance and pelvic health, the lack of informed consent has lifelong consequences.

In this episode, we break down:

• The di...

The menopause industry is projected to hit $24.4B by 2030. But are we prioritizing real care—or just creating more confusion?

In this episode of Fempower Health, we break down the biggest challenges in menopause care, from hormone therapy debates to venture-backed telehealth startups and the lack of research in women’s health.

What You’ll Learn:

• How startups and telehealth companies are ...

Join Georgie in this heartfelt episode as she reflects on the evolution of Fempower Health, the trusted resource for women and clinicians navigating complex health topics. Discover how community feedback will shape the future of this empowering platform.

Episode Summary

In this special episode of Fempower Health, host Georgie shares a heartfelt update about the evolution of the podcast and her decision to take a pause. Refle...