The Skinny Confidential Him & Her Podcast: Dr. Thais Aliabadi & Mary Alice Haney on Infertility Issues Doctors Miss, PCOS, Endometriosis, & Why Women’s Health Is Ignored

Hosts: Lauryn Bosstick & Michael Bosstick | Guests: Dr. Thais Aliabadi & Mary Alice Heney Release Date: May 15, 2025

Introduction

In this compelling episode of The Skinny Confidential Him & Her Podcast, hosts Lauryn Bosstick and Michael Bosstick engage in an enlightening conversation with two prominent figures in women's health advocacy: Dr. Thais Aliabadi, a renowned gynecologist, and Mary Alice Heney, a seasoned women's advocate and influencer. The episode delves deep into the often-overlooked issues surrounding women's health, specifically focusing on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, and infertility.

Guest Backgrounds

Mary Alice Heney [02:12]: Mary Alice Heney brings a wealth of experience from the editorial and fashion worlds, having served as the West Coast editor for major publications like GQ, Allure, and Marie Claire. Her transition into health advocacy was fueled by personal challenges, including her parents' battle with brain disease. This journey led her to co-host the SheMD podcast on Dear Media, aiming to educate and empower women about critical health issues.

Dr. Thais Aliabadi [03:21]: Dr. Aliabadi is a distinguished gynecologist with 24 years of experience in private practice. Her passion lies in transforming women's health by advocating for better awareness and education. Known for her work with high-profile clients such as Rihanna, the Kardashians, and Halle Berry, Dr. Aliabadi leverages her platform to address the gaps in women's healthcare, particularly concerning PCOS and endometriosis.

Key Discussions

1. Dismissal of Women's Health Concerns [04:05]

Dr. Aliabadi:
"Dismissal. 50% of women, when they go to their OB GYN, they leave thinking that their complaint was not addressed. They were dismissed."
(04:05)

Dr. Aliabadi highlights a critical issue in women's healthcare: the frequent dismissal of women's symptoms by medical professionals. She asserts that the actual rate of dismissal is likely higher than reported, leading to prolonged suffering and delayed diagnoses of serious conditions like PCOS and endometriosis.

2. Understanding Endometriosis and PCOS [08:16]

Dr. Aliabadi:
"Endometriosis affects 10% of women on the planet. Yet many doctors don't know about it, don't diagnose it. Patients have never heard of it."
(08:16)

Dr. Aliabadi provides a comprehensive overview of endometriosis, explaining how it involves uterine-like cells outside the uterus, causing severe pain and leading to infertility. She underscores the alarming statistic that it takes 9 to 11 years to diagnose endometriosis, during which time many women experience irreversible damage to their reproductive health.

Mary Alice Heney:
"Olivia Culpa went deeply into her endometriosis episode. If a woman like Olivia Culpa, who has access to everything, can't get the right medical care until she found Dr. A, imagine what a woman in Alabama who doesn't have..."
(11:32)

Mary Alice shares anecdotes illustrating the widespread lack of proper medical care for endometriosis, emphasizing that even women with significant resources struggle to receive accurate diagnoses and effective treatment.

3. The Importance of Early Diagnosis and Self-Advocacy [14:10]

Dr. Aliabadi:
"Be your own health advocate. In order to be your own health advocate, you need to be educated on that topic."
(14:10)

Emphasizing the role of self-advocacy, Dr. Aliabadi encourages women to educate themselves about their health conditions. She introduces tools like the Ovaries ovii assessment test, designed to help women identify the likelihood of having PCOS and take proactive steps toward diagnosis and treatment.

4. Dr. Aliabadi’s Personal Journey with Breast Cancer [43:43]

Dr. Aliabadi:
"I was 48. I went for my mammogram and they found something in my left breast. At the time, I was a vegetarian, had no family history... I calculated my lifetime risk of breast cancer and found it was 37.5%. I decided to undergo a double mastectomy."
(43:43)

Dr. Aliabadi shares her poignant personal experience with breast cancer, detailing how she discovered her high lifetime risk and chose to proactively undergo a double mastectomy despite initial skepticism from her medical team. This transformative event reinforced her commitment to advocating for women's health and early detection.

Mary Alice Heney:
"Dr. A saved Olivia Munn’s life by doing this genetic test, which helped in early detection and treatment."
(35:21)

Mary Alice underscores the impact of Dr. Aliabadi’s approach by citing Olivia Munn’s experience, illustrating the life-saving potential of early detection and personalized risk assessments.

5. Lifetime Risk of Breast Cancer [35:21]

Dr. Aliabadi:
"If your lifetime risk is 20% or more, you fall into the high-risk category. An average American has a 12.5% chance of getting breast cancer."
(35:21)

Dr. Aliabadi elaborates on calculating the lifetime risk of breast cancer, emphasizing the importance of genetic testing and advanced imaging techniques like MRI for those at high risk. She criticizes the standard recommendation to wait until age 40 for mammograms, advocating instead for personalized screening based on individual risk factors.

6. Hormone Replacement Therapy and Cancer Risk [63:25]

Dr. Aliabadi:
"Hormone replacement is crucial for most women going through menopause. It eases the transition from symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness."
(63:25)

Addressing concerns about hormone replacement therapy (HRT), Dr. Aliabadi clarifies misconceptions stemming from the flawed Women's Health Initiative study. She asserts that HRT is safe and beneficial for managing menopausal symptoms, particularly when prescribed within the first ten years of menopause onset.

7. The Role of Medications like Ozempic [64:53]

Dr. Aliabadi:
"These medications have been a game changer for my patients with PCOS and endometriosis for almost 11 years now. They help address insulin resistance and facilitate significant weight loss."
(64:53)

Dr. Aliabadi discusses the positive impact of weight loss medications such as Ozempic on managing PCOS and endometriosis. She highlights their effectiveness in reducing weight and improving insulin resistance, thereby enhancing patients' overall health and fertility prospects.

Notable Quotes

• Dr. Thais Aliabadi [04:17]:
  "If you spend a day with me in my office, by the end of the day, you'll go home with a broken heart."

• Dr. Thais Aliabadi [06:56]:
  "I think it's because nobody's diagnosed. I don't think it is. I think it's because nobody's diagnosed."

• Dr. Thais Aliabadi [14:19]:
  "If you're trying to advocate for yourself, you need to educate yourself."

• Dr. Thais Aliabadi [43:51]:
  "You're so motivated to get up, you get motivated to exercise because for the first time in your life, you're actually seeing results."

• Dr. Thais Aliabadi [51:23]:
  "If you want to catch high-risk women early, you need to know your lifetime risk."

Insights and Conclusions

This episode serves as a critical wake-up call regarding the state of women's healthcare. Dr. Thais Aliabadi and Mary Alice Heney shed light on the systemic issues that lead to the dismissal and underdiagnosis of conditions like PCOS and endometriosis, which are prevalent and significantly impact fertility and quality of life. The discussion underscores the necessity for women to become informed health advocates, utilizing available tools and resources to ensure early detection and effective management of their health conditions.

Key takeaways include:

• Awareness and Education: Women must educate themselves about their health to advocate effectively in medical settings.

• Early Diagnosis: Conditions like PCOS and endometriosis require timely diagnosis to prevent long-term complications such as infertility.

• Personal Advocacy: Dr. Aliabadi’s personal journey with breast cancer exemplifies the importance of self-advocacy and proactive healthcare management.

• Advanced Screening: Personalized risk assessments and advanced imaging techniques can significantly improve early detection of breast cancer.

• Medication Management: Medications like Ozempic have proven beneficial in managing PCOS and endometriosis by addressing underlying issues like insulin resistance.

By addressing these critical areas, the podcast empowers women to take control of their health, seek appropriate medical care, and challenge the existing healthcare norms that often overlook their specific needs.

Connect with the Guests:

• Dr. Thais Aliabadi: Instagram | SheMD Podcast
• Mary Alice Heney: Instagram | SheMD Podcast

Learn More:

• Ovaries ovii Assessment Test: ov.com
• Lifetime Risk Calculation: Available on Dr. Aliabadi’s platforms

This episode is a must-listen for women seeking to understand the intricacies of their health and the importance of advocating for themselves within the healthcare system. By combining expert medical insights with personal experiences, The Skinny Confidential Him & Her Podcast delivers invaluable information that can lead to healthier, empowered lives.