Women’s Health Research Made Simple: How to Spot Misinformation (and What Actually Matters) — with DR. RITA DEERING

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of the Active Mom Podcast, I’m joined again by Dr. Rita Deering, PT, DPT, PhD — Associate Professor of Physical Therapy and Director of the Movement Sciences Laboratory at Carroll University. With 18+ years of clinical experience and 15 years specializing in pelvic health, Dr. Deering is a leading researcher in perinatal musculoskeletal health, pregnancy and postpartum exercise, pelvic floor function, and female athlete performance.This conversation is a must-listen for anyone navigating the overwhelm of women’s health information — clinicians, coaches, athletes, and moms trying to get real answers outside the noise. We dig into how to actually interpret research (not just quote it), what different study types really mean, and how to confidently separate evidence-based guidance from trending misinformation on social media.Whether you’re dealing with pelvic floor symptoms, postpartum return to running or lifting, perimenopause changes, or pregnancy athletic performance, this episode brings clarity to the research so you can make informed decisions with confidence.We break down:What “evidence-based” actually means in pelvic health & pregnancy fitnessDifferent types of research (RCTs, systematic reviews, case studies) and how to interpret themWhy outliers in research don’t invalidate lived experienceMaking research relatable and useful for everyday moms & athletesHow AI, algorithms, and social media fuel misinformationTranslating research to clinical practice without fear-based messagingWhy respectful, nuanced conversation in women’s health actually helps patientsTime Stamps1:00 Introduction3:15 making research accessible7:58 what is PubMed13:50 different types of research18:20 transferring research to the clinic22:44 looking at the studies33:19 different levels of evidence37:04 systematic reviews and meta analysis43:10 changing approach to implementing research48:55 where the funding goes51:20 rapid fire questionsCONNECT WITH CARRIEIG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/Website: https://carriepagliano.comCONNECT WITH RITA:IG: https://www.instagram.com/ritadeeringphd/Website: https://www.carrollu.edu/faculty/deering-rita-phdThe Active Mom Podcast is A Real Moms' Guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond for active moms & the professionals who help them in their journey.  This show has been a long time in the making!   You can expect conversation with moms and professionals from all aspects of the industry.   If you're like me, you don't have a lot of free time (heck, you're probably listening at 1.5x speed), so theses interviews will be quick hits to get your the pertinent information FAST!  If you love what you hear, share the podcast with a friend and leave us a 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and review. It helps us become more visible in the search algorithm! (Helps us get seen by more moms that need to hear these stories!!!!)