I recently read a story in which a woman named H. Lee, who has muscular dystrophy, details a decade-long struggle to receive adequate cervical cancer screening. Providers have been unable to find her cervix due to the curvature of her spine, examined h…
It’s 1:30 p.m. on a Tuesday, and I’m sitting comfortably, propped up by four pillows with my feet on a medicine ball in front of the sofa. I laugh with complete delight as I stare at my belly and see the spunky kicks of my daughter, dancing…
Nebraska has taken another step towards effectively banning abortion and criminalizing the practice of medicine. I want to try to clarify that this bill is not supported by the medical community. It does not seek to improve the lives of Nebraskans. In …
An excerpt from Fifty Years a Doctor: The Journey of Sickness and Health, Four Plagues and the Pandemic. I went to medical school for four years. I was a medical intern for one year and a surgical resident for one year. And finally, an otolaryngology r…
“Dr. Forna, I’m not going to die this pregnancy, am I?” “No, ma’am. You’re not going to die this pregnancy. Not on my watch! We are going to do everything we can to keep you safe.” I’ve had this conversat…
It is common to get some nipple discomfort at the start of breastfeeding. Babies and moms are learning how to do this new skill, and sometimes they just don’t get it right, and nipple damage can occur. If caught and adjusted early, this can clear…
I have undergone numerous IVF cycles. It is a heart-wrenching experience. Infertility is a pain that is difficult to describe unless personally experienced. I have never truly known heartbreak until the failure of IVF embryo transfers. Three preimplant…
When I walked into the ultrasound room, I immediately noticed the patient’s red-rimmed eyes and cloud of mussed-up brown hair. My eyes tracked the defeated curve of her back and its stark contrast to the sterile environment of the obstetrics and …
According to the World Health Organization, cervical cancer is among the most preventable and treatable gynecological cancers. Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and longitudinal screening are highly effective modes of prevention and detection, res…
Maternal morbidity and mortality rates in the United States are among the highest in the developed world—impacting roughly 50,000 women each year and taking the lives of 700 mothers annually. Three in five of these deaths are preventable, according to …
