How does it feel to be called hostile? What about barren? Inhospitable? Geriatric? These are all words women over the age of 35 have heard in doctor's offices for decades to describe their reproductive health as they explore options for childbirth. The terminology has been changing, but for some, not quickly enough.  When the culture is pushing for more humane ways to talk about women's bodies, how long will it take modern medicine to catch up? Brittany talks with <a href="https://www.rachelegross.com/book"target="_blank" >Rachel E. Gross</a>, author of Vagina Obscura: An Anatomical Voyage to understand what the use of these words reveal about our cultural expectations of pregnant people. Want more on the culture of women’s health? Check out these episodes: <a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/01/21/nx-s1-5683324/sex-is-pleasurable-it-should-feel-safe-too"target="_blank" >Sex is pleasurable. It should feel safe too.</a><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/09/17/nx-s1-5543523/thriving-after-menopause"target="_blank" >The key to thriving later in life: menopause</a> Support Public Media. <a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" >Join NPR Plus.</a> Follow Brittany on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" >@bmluse</a> For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at <a href="http://npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" >npr.org/podclub</a>. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. <a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

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