This season on Hormonal we’ve learned a lot about birth control. From the origin of the pill, to how side effects can be beneficial, to the history and future of Reproductive Justice. But that doesn’t mean that there isn’t more to learn, especially when it comes to those pesky myths that just never seem to completely disappear.  This week on the Hormonal podcast, we are assembling a super squad of science-backed Mythbusters. They’re ready to tackle questions from real users like you. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended healthcare systems around the world, especially reproductive healthcare. People who relied on face-to-face visits with their doctor or timely appointments are now facing cancellations and rescheduling, are now asking themselves, “What now?” For more, we’re joined by Gillian Sealy. She's the interim CEO of Power to Decide–a nonprofit in the U.S. focused on preventing unplanned pregnancy and helping young people find a birth control option that works for them.

Nothing quite brings your fertility front and center like a pregnancy. Hormonal changes, like an increase in estrogen and prolactin, can cause or are directly related to physical changes, such as breast and milk duct growth. So what do people who’ve just had a pregnancy, need to know about their birth control options afterwards?

The birth control pill, which many of us just call ”the pill,” officially turns 60 years old this year. Instead of just breaking out the cake and candles, we’re telling you the story of the pill. Where did this remarkable invention even come from? And what doors did it open up for our parents and grandparents?  Today we're joined by Jonathan Eig, he's the author of Birth of the Pill to delve into this fascinating, amazing, and shadowy story. 

Inequality is all around us and manifests in tricky ways. When it comes to healthcare in particular, for many of us, reproductive care is a large part of how we interact with the healthcare system. But what about reproductive care? For this episode, we talk to Dr. Loretta Ross. She's one of the co-originators of the concept of reproductive justice and a co-founder of the SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective.

Most people take birth control because they want to avoid getting pregnant. As many of us find out after starting the pill, the shot or getting a device inserted, avoiding pregnancy is not all that happens! There are other shifts in the body that take place when you try something new. For more information on today’s episode visit helloclue.com/hormonal and how to support the work here at Clue, go to Clue.Plus.

You probably know and love someone who’s had an abortion, or maybe you’ve had one yourself. Despite the fact that one in four people capable of getting pregnant will have a termination in their lifetime, finding accurate information about abortions is tricky. For more information on today’s episode visit helloclue.com/hormonal. And to find out how to support the work here at Clue, go to Clue.Plus.

A big reason why a lot of people start taking hormonal birth control is simple: they’re having sex, and they don't want to risk a pregnancy. But, this isn't true for everyone. Preventing a potential pregnancy is not the only thing that happens when you take a pill, get a device inserted, or get a shot. As your body adjusts to a new method, lots of things can happen, and that can affect how you feel: Sexier or less sexy, more adventurous or less, hotter or maybe less attractive.

Hosted by Rhea Ramjohn, the weekly menstrual health podcast will feature voices from around the birth control universe. Listeners can look forward to practical health tips, deep conversations, and enlightening revelations for women and people with periods. New episodes drop every Tuesday starting in October. For more information on visit helloclue.com/hormonal. And, to find out how to support the work here at Clue, go to Clue.Plus.

As we work hard on Season 2 of the Hormonal podcast, we’re dropping into your feed with a special request, and a small behind the scenes interview with your host, Rhea Ramjohn. While you’re waiting, check out past episodes of the podcast at helloclue.com/hormonal. And, to find out how to support our work at Clue, go to Clue.Plus. 

Everyone has hormones. But for some reason, people with periods catch more flack around hormonal fluctuations. Why is that? And is the root of this issue more science, or more sexism?

Ahead of a big hormonal shift like PMS, what can you do to help those hormones do their job AND minimize negative side affects of that shift? “There are many systems at play that influence each individual menstrual symptom. So diet and micronutrients certainly play a role in all of these and this really complicated orchestration of events.”

Research suggests that exposure to pollutants can affect hormones related period regularity and fertility. Even some chemicals that we expose ourselves to on purpose (like make up or skin serums) can affect our hormones and menstrual systems.

When it comes to skin appearance, there are a few factors under our control—and some others are all hormonal. Dr. Tiffany Clay joins Hormonal to talk about how hormones affect our skin appearance.

Why do some people lose their periods and ability to conceive in the face of new stress? But other people who've lived in stressful environments their entire lives conceive without problems?

When women first began competing in elite sports, an important question cropped up: who exactly is a woman? Fears that men would simply plop on a wig and a petticoat in order to compete, to the perceived disadvantage of women, arose, and sporting officials began checking the gender of competitors. Modern gender tests rely on testosterone, despite inconclusive science around the hormone. Today we're joined by Katrina Karkazis. She’s the co-author of “Testosterone: An Unauthorized Biography.”

Fact: Right before your period, your hormones and body can change. Myth: you’re automatically going to turn into a weepy, emotional, and irrational B*TCH.  So how do the cultural perceptions around Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) change how you experience that time of the month? Turns out, a lot. 

Hormones were only discovered about a hundred years ago. But since then, they’ve taken on a lot of significance, both in science and in western culture. Before we find out how hormones affect just about everything, let’s look at the history of these powerful molecules.

Clue is proud to present Hormonal. A show all about how hormones affect all of us. Each week, Rhea Ramjohn is asking scientists, doctors, and experts to break it all down for us. Season One launches this fall.