Episode 12 - Dr. Melanie Crites Bachert - A Pelvic Surgeon's Concerns About The Risks of Gender Care

In our 12th episode, Laura and Yvette bring on Dr. Melanie Crites Bachert (prounounced BUCK-ert), a pelvic reconstructive surgical specialist whose practice has been primarily centered on women's pelvic health, and on repairing congenital abnormalities of the kidneys and the bladder. However, in recent years, she has become more vocal about what she sees as the unacceptable high incidence of urinary and vaginal complications experienced by trans men (natal women) on testosterone, who find their way into her Oregon practice. She expressed concern about hormone prescribers not appropriately counselling their patients about the consequences of hormone therapy, and on what she believes is an abdication of responsibility in managing adverse effects associated with therapy Dr. Laura and Dr. Crites Bachert engage in some vigourous but respectful argument about the benefits of gender care, how we engage with medical uncertainty, and on the the amount of weight we put onto the pain and the consequences of living with dysphoria