Blog · Evidence-Based Articles · Dr. Broad

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Women’s Health Blog

Clinical answers. Not clickbait.

Evidence-based articles on pregnancy, menopause, hormonal health, gynecologic surgery, and preventive care — written by Dr. Jennifer Broad with the same clinical precision she brings to patient consultations. No generic health info. No marketing fluff.

Pregnancy

13 articles

Advanced Maternal Age: What Being 35+ Actually Means for Your Pregnancy (2026)

Pregnancy High-Risk

Advanced Maternal Age: What Being 35+ Actually Means for Your Pregnancy (2026)

Advanced maternal age doesn't automatically mean high-risk. Here's what ACOG guidelines actually say about pregnancy after 35 â€" screening, monitoring, and what the statistics really mean.

Faint Line on a Pregnancy Test: What It Means, Why It Happens, and When to Call Your OBGYN (2026)

Pregnancy Testing

Faint Line on a Pregnancy Test: What It Means, Why It Happens, and When to Call Your OBGYN (2026)

A faint line on a pregnancy test is almost always a positive result. Here's the science behind hCG detection, what causes faint lines, when to retest, and when to get a blood test from your doctor.

Linea Nigra: What the Dark Pregnancy Line on Your Belly Means (2026)

Linea Nigra: What the Dark Pregnancy Line on Your Belly Means (2026)

That dark line running down your belly during pregnancy is called the linea nigra. It's harmless, hormone-driven, and extremely common. Here's what causes it, when it appears, and when it fades.

Do Pregnancy Tests Expire? What Happens If You Use an Expired Test (2026)

Pregnancy Testing

Do Pregnancy Tests Expire? What Happens If You Use an Expired Test (2026)

Yes, pregnancy tests expire â€" and using one past its date can give unreliable results. Here's how expiration affects accuracy, whether false positives or false negatives are more likely, and when to retest or call your OBGYN.

Ovulation Pain (Mittelschmerz): Timing, Duration, and What It Means for Fertility (2026)

Fertility Women's Health

Ovulation Pain (Mittelschmerz): Timing, Duration, and What It Means for Fertility (2026)

Ovulation pain usually means the egg is being released right now or within hours. Here's how long it lasts, what causes it, when it's normal, and when it signals something else.

Preconception Care & Fertility: A Pregnancy Planning Guide

Preconception Care & Fertility: A Pregnancy Planning Guide

Thinking about getting pregnant? Evidence-based guidance on genetic screening, folic acid, ovulation timing, fertility evaluation, and lifestyle optimization.

Gestational Diabetes: Diagnosis, Diet & Treatment Guide

Pregnancy High-Risk

Gestational Diabetes: Diagnosis, Diet & Treatment Guide

ACOG-based screening, blood glucose targets, dietary management, insulin therapy, fetal monitoring, and what to expect postpartum.

High-Risk Pregnancy Management: What You Need to Know

Pregnancy High-Risk

High-Risk Pregnancy Management: What You Need to Know

Advanced maternal age, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and other risk factors. How risk stratification and enhanced monitoring protect you and your baby.

IUD Birth Control: Types, Insertion & What to Expect

IUD Birth Control: Types, Insertion & What to Expect

Mirena, Kyleena, Liletta, Skyla, and Paragard compared. Office insertion takes 5-10 minutes and most insurance covers the full cost.

Non-Stress Test (NST): Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring Explained

Non-Stress Test (NST): Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring Explained

How fetal heart rate monitoring works, why your doctor ordered it, and what reactive vs non-reactive results actually mean.

Preeclampsia: Risk Factors, Aspirin Prevention & Management

Pregnancy High-Risk

Preeclampsia: Risk Factors, Aspirin Prevention & Management

ACOG screening criteria, low-dose aspirin prophylaxis protocol, severity classification, and delivery timing for preeclampsia.

Prenatal Care: A Trimester-by-Trimester Guide

Prenatal Care: A Trimester-by-Trimester Guide

What to expect at your first prenatal visit, ACOG visit schedule, trimester-by-trimester screening milestones, and when routine care becomes high-risk.

Ultrasound Services: 2D, 3D & 4D Imaging Explained

Ultrasound Services: 2D, 3D & 4D Imaging Explained

Diagnostic pregnancy ultrasound, anatomy scans, gynecologic imaging, and elective 3D/4D sessions -- all performed in-office.

Menopause & Hormones

7 articles

Is HRT Safe After 60? What the Evidence Actually Says (2026)

Is HRT Safe After 60? What the Evidence Actually Says (2026)

The answer depends on when you started, your health profile, and what type of HRT. Here's what the WHI reanalysis, NAMS 2022, and current guidelines say about HRT in women over 60.

When Should You See a Menopause Specialist? Signs It's Time (2026)

Menopause Women's Health

When Should You See a Menopause Specialist? Signs It's Time (2026)

Not every OBGYN focuses on menopause. Here's when your symptoms, health profile, or treatment questions warrant evaluation by a physician with menopause expertise â€" and what that evaluation looks like.

High Testosterone in Women: Causes, Symptoms, and Evidence-Based Treatment (2026)

Women's Health Hormones

High Testosterone in Women: Causes, Symptoms, and Evidence-Based Treatment (2026)

High testosterone in women is usually caused by PCOS, adrenal conditions, or medication. Here's what elevated androgens actually mean, how they're diagnosed, and what your OBGYN can do about it.

Bioidentical Hormones vs Synthetic HRT: Evidence-Based Comparison

Bioidentical Hormones vs Synthetic HRT: Evidence-Based Comparison

FDA-approved bioidenticals, compounded hormones, and synthetic HRT compared. What ACOG and the Endocrine Society actually say about safety and efficacy.

Menopause & HRT: An Evidence-Based Treatment Guide

Menopause & HRT: An Evidence-Based Treatment Guide

Is hormone replacement therapy right for you? STRAW+10 staging, HRT candidacy criteria, WHI reanalysis data, and individualized risk-benefit frameworks.

PCOS: Diagnosis, Treatment & Long-Term Management

PCOS: Diagnosis, Treatment & Long-Term Management

Rotterdam diagnostic criteria, hormonal and metabolic evaluation, fertility options, and individualized long-term management for polycystic ovary syndrome.

Perimenopause: Symptoms, Staging & When to Seek Help

Perimenopause: Symptoms, Staging & When to Seek Help

Am I in perimenopause? STRAW+10 staging, common symptoms, how it differs from menopause, and when to talk to your doctor about treatment.

Gynecology

3 articles

Abnormal Uterine Bleeding: Causes, Diagnosis & Treatment Options

Abnormal Uterine Bleeding: Causes, Diagnosis & Treatment Options

Heavy periods, irregular bleeding, or postmenopausal spotting can have many causes. Learn about the PALM-COEIN classification and treatment options from medical management to surgery.

Endometriosis Treatment: Surgery vs Medication, Staging & Fertility

Gynecology Surgery

Endometriosis Treatment: Surgery vs Medication, Staging & Fertility

Medical management or surgical excision? A guide to endometriosis staging, treatment options, fertility impact, and long-term care strategies.

Uterine Fibroids: Treatment Options & Myomectomy vs Hysterectomy

Gynecology Surgery

Uterine Fibroids: Treatment Options & Myomectomy vs Hysterectomy

Fibroid types, symptoms, and the full range of treatment options from observation to surgery -- including a myomectomy vs hysterectomy decision framework.

Surgery

1 article

Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery: What to Know

Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery: What to Know

Laparoscopic and advanced surgical options for endometriosis, fibroids, ovarian cysts, and pelvic conditions. Fertility-preserving approaches with faster recovery.

Screening & Prevention

3 articles

Abnormal Pap Smear: What It Means, What Happens Next, and Why It's Usually Not Cancer (2026)

Women's Health Screening

Abnormal Pap Smear: What It Means, What Happens Next, and Why It's Usually Not Cancer (2026)

An abnormal Pap smear does NOT mean you have cancer. Here's what the different results mean, what happens after each one, and when you actually need to worry â€" explained by a board-certified OBGYN.

Colposcopy: What to Expect After an Abnormal Pap Smear

Colposcopy: What to Expect After an Abnormal Pap Smear

An abnormal Pap doesn't mean cancer. Here's what a colposcopy involves, how to prepare, and how to understand your biopsy results.

Well-Woman Exam: Age-Based Screening Guidelines

Well-Woman Exam: Age-Based Screening Guidelines

What's included in your annual exam and which ACOG/USPSTF screenings you need at every age -- Pap smear, HPV, mammogram, STI testing, bone density, and more.

Sexual & Pelvic Health

3 articles

Pelvic Organ Prolapse: Conservative & Surgical Treatment Options

Pelvic Health Surgery

Pelvic Organ Prolapse: Conservative & Surgical Treatment Options

POP-Q staging, pelvic floor therapy, pessary fitting, and surgical repair options for cystocele, rectocele, and uterine prolapse.

STD Testing & STI Screening: What Gets Tested and When

Sexual Health Screening

STD Testing & STI Screening: What Gets Tested and When

Confidential STI screening with same-day appointments. Comprehensive panels for chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, syphilis, hepatitis, herpes, HPV, and more.

Urinary Incontinence Treatment: Bladder Leakage Solutions

Urinary Incontinence Treatment: Bladder Leakage Solutions

Stress incontinence, urgency incontinence, and overactive bladder evaluated and treated with pelvic floor therapy, medications, and surgical options.

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