A woman's body undergoes more dramatic physiological shifts across a lifetime than almost any other category of human experience — from menarche through reproductive years, pregnancy, perimenopause, and post-menopause, each stage is distinct in its hormonal environment, risks, and needs. For much of medical history, women's health was either ignored or pathologized, and the research gaps that resulted are still being filled. Navigating this terrain well requires both current medical knowledge and a personal understanding of how your own body moves through these transitions.
Each step builds on the last.