He Didn't Believe My Pain and I Almost Died—Why the US Medical System is Failing Women

Welcome to MENO — your go-to for perimenopause, menopause, and everything in between. In this episode, we sit down with Anushay Hossain, a feminist policy analyst and Capitol Hill lobbyist who nearly died during childbirth in a top-tier D.C. hospital after doctors repeatedly ignored her life-threatening symptoms. Her "bananas" experience of being dismissed while suffering a 104-degree fever led her to write The Pain Gap, where she exposes the systemic sexism and racism that prevent women from being believed in the exam room. By analyzing the mental and physical impact of being silenced, Anushay reveals how reclaiming our agency is the only way to stop the dangerous normalization of women's discomfort and ensure our survival in a broken healthcare system. IN THIS EPISODE, WE COVER: -The Credibility Gap: Why women in the world's richest democracy are systematically not believed about their own bodies. -Maternal Health 101: The harrowing statistics on why the U.S. is the most dangerous rich country for women to give birth. -Biohacking Your Hospital Visit: Tactical advice on bringing a support person, an agenda, and a "paper trail" to every appointment. -The Truth About Medical Research: How the exclusion of women from clinical trials until the 1990s created a massive knowledge gap. -Racism vs. Race: Why college-educated Black women face a 5x higher risk of death than white women with less education. -The "Perfect Patient" Myth: How being submissive and polite in medical settings can actually cost you your life. -Bikini Medicine: Why menopause and women's health are often treated as an elective after childbearing years end. RESOURCES: Website: anushayhossain.com @AnushayHossain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices