About me
I am an OB/GYN and a pain medicine physician, and it would be hard to find someone who knows more about the vulva and vagina. I’ve been called Twitter’s resident gynecologist, the Internet’s OB/GYN, and one of the fiercest advocates for women’s health. And I’m here to build a better medical Internet.
I became interested in dubious online medical claims when my own children were born extremely prematurely. I found separating the facts from the fiction difficult and I wondered, if finding quality medical information online was hard for me as a doctor, how did everyone else manage? I know people sit up late at night and fall down rabbit holes of misinformation, because I’ve been there. And with reproductive health there is an added challenge—the vagina, vulva, and uterus are erroneously labeled as shameful, toxic, or dirty and women and people with vaginas have their valid symptoms dismissed or minimized.
I write books: The Vagina Bible and The Menopause Manifesto were both New York Times bestsellers and #1 bestsellers in Canada. The Vagina Bible has been translated into 17 languages and counting and The Menopause Manifesto into 7 languages and counting. My latest book, BLOOD: The Science, Medicine, and Mythology of Menstruation, will be available on January 23rd, 2024.
I battle medical misinformation and misogyny on social media. I am a New York Times contributor-and have written for many other publications including Glamour, STAT, The Cut, and Chatelaine. I am the host of the record-breaking CBC web series Jensplaining (CBC Gem in Canada and Amazon Prime elsewhere). I did a TED talk on menstruation for TEDWomen (why we have periods and why they hurt — it may surprise you) which was the #3 most viewed talk of 2020. All part of my campaign to empower people about their health through quality, accessible, bias-free content.
What else…my two boys are budding skeptics who keep me so honest it hurts and I have a third son who died at birth. That hurts in a different way. I met the love of my life when I was 53 (I know, right?). I have a lab named Hazel and a one-eyed cat named Luna who is often the star of my Twitter.
The 411 on the Vajenda
Come for the science, stay for the sex. Come for the sex, stay for the science.
The Vajenda is an evidence-based hub for reproductive health matters. It’s the next evolution of my effort to fix the information gaps in medicine, because you can’t be empowered about your health with inaccurate information. Content depends on what’s in the news, the questions I’m being asked, or what’s irritating me (righteous indignation is a huge motivator). There are free articles every week. A paid subscription gives you access to additional content, such as deeper dives into the nuances of therapies for menopause, some of the “Ask Dr. Jen” columns, as well as the ability to comment. I try to answer the easier questions in the comments and use the more complex ones for “Ask. Dr. Jen” or as prompts for more in depth posts. All this for $5/month or $50/year.
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