Decades Of ‘Death Cramps’ Later, A Search For Answers To Period Pain

from Embodied · host WUNC

Ever since Kate Downey got her first extremely painful period at age 14, every month feels like playing Russian roulette with her uterus. Will she get “normal” abdominal discomfort — or excruciating, life-disrupting “death cramps”? After decades of not knowing the cause of her pain, Kate set out to find an answer to her very own medical mystery…and she shares with Anita how what she uncovered has implications for many other menstruating people.Meet the guest:- Kate Downey is the creator and host of CRAMPED, a podcast investigating period painRead the transcript | Review the podcast on your preferred platformFollow Embodied on Instagram Leave a message for Embodied

What this episode covers

Ever since Kate Downey got her first extremely painful period at age 14, every month feels like playing Russian roulette with her uterus. Will she get “normal” abdominal discomfort — or excruciating, life-disrupting “death cramps”? After decades of not knowing the cause of her pain, Kate set out to find an answer to her very own medical mystery…and she shares with Anita how what she uncovered has implications for many other menstruating people. Meet the guest: - Kate Downey is the creator and host of CRAMPED, a podcast investigating period pain Read the transcript | Review the podcast on your preferred platform Follow Embodied on Instagram Leave a message for Embodied

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Decades Of ‘Death Cramps’ Later, A Search For Answers To Period Pain

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This episode was published on April 3, 2025.

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