The Vagina Bible: The Vulva and the Vagina: Separating the Myth from the Medicine

by Jen Gunter

Overview

Instant New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestseller!
Boston Globe bestseller
#1 Canadian Bestseller

OB/GYN, writer for The New York Times, USA Today, and Self, and host of the show Jensplaining, Dr. Jen Gunter now delivers the definitive book on vaginal health, answering the questions you’ve always had but were afraid to ask—or couldn’t find the right answers to. She has been called Twitter’s resident gynecologist, the Internet’s OB/GYN, and one of the fiercest advocates for women’s health…and she’s here to give you the straight talk on the topics she knows best.
 
Does eating sugar cause yeast infections?
 
Does pubic hair have a function?
 
Should you have a vulvovaginal care regimen?
 
Will your vagina shrivel up if you go without sex?
 
What’s the truth about the HPV vaccine?
 
So many important questions, so much convincing, confusing, contradictory misinformation! In this age of click bait, pseudoscience, and celebrity-endorsed products, it’s easy to be overwhelmed—whether it’s websites, advice from well-meaning friends, uneducated partners, and even healthcare providers. So how do you separate facts from fiction? OB-GYN Jen Gunter, an expert on women’s health—and the internet’s most popular go-to doc—comes to the rescue with a book that debunks the myths and educates and empowers women. From reproductive health to the impact of antibiotics and probiotics, and the latest trends, including vaginal steaming, vaginal marijuana products, and jade eggs, Gunter takes us on a factual, fun-filled journey. Discover the truth about:

   • The vaginal microbiome
   • Genital hygiene, lubricants, and hormone myths and fallacies 
   • How diet impacts vaginal health
   • Stem cells and the vagina
   • Cosmetic vaginal surgery
   • What changes to expect during pregnancy and after childbirth
   • What changes to expect through menopause
   • How medicine fails women by dismissing symptoms

Plus:

   • Thongs vs. lace: the best underwear for vaginal health
   • How to select a tampon
   • The full glory of the clitoris and the myth of the G Spot
 
. . . And so much more. Whether you’re a twenty-six-year-old worried that her labia are “uncool” or a sixty-six-year-old dealing with painful sex, this comprehensive guide is sure to become a lifelong trusted resource.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780806539317
Publisher:	Kensington
Publication date:	08/27/2019
Pages:	432
Sales rank:	32,859
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.80(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

Dr. Jen Gunter is an internationally bestselling author, obstetrician, and gynecologist with more than three decades of experience as a vulvar and vaginal diseases expert. Her New York Times and USA Today bestselling book, The Vagina Bible, has been translated into 21 languages and The Guardian calls her "the world's most famous—and outspoken—gynecologist." The recipient of the 2020 NAMS Media Award from The North American Menopause Society, she is a The New York Times contributor, and the star of Jensplaining, a CBC/Amazon Prime video series that highlights the impact of medical misinformation on women. Dr. Gunter’s TED Talk was the third most-viewed in 2020.  She is also the host of the popular TED Collective podcast “Body Stuff with Dr. Jen Gunter,” where she interviews fellow doctors about the lies you’re told—and sold—about your health, debunking some of the stickiest myths out there while helping you to understand how your body really works.

Table of Contents

Introduction xi

Getting Started 1

1 The Vulva 3

2 The Vagina 13

3 Vaginas and Vulvas in Transition 22

4 Female Pleasure and Sex Ed 29

5 Pregnancy and Childbirth 41

Everyday Practicalities and V Maintenance 55

6 Medical Maintenance 57

7 Food and Vaginal Health 65

8 The Bottom Line on Underwear 72

9 The Lowdown on Lube 77

10 Kegel Exercises 83

Skin Care and Cleansing 91

11 Vulvar Cleansing: Soaps, Cleansers, and Wipes 93

12 Vaginal Cleansing: Douches, Steams, Sprays, and Potpourri 101

13 Hair Removal and Grooming 107

14 Moisturizers, Barriers, and Bath Products 119

Menstrual Products and Mythology 129

15 The Truth About Toxic Shock Syndrome 131

16 Are There Toxins in Tampons and Pads? 139

17 Menstrual Hygiene 143

Menopause 157

18 Menopause 159

19 Treating GSM 169

Medications and Interventions 181

20 Cannabis 183

21 Contraception 189

22 Antibiotics and Probiotics 195

23 Cosmetic Procedures, Injections, and "Rejuvenation" 204

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIS) 213

24 General STI Information 215

25 STI Prevention 223

26 The Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) 234

27 Herpes (HSV) 244

28 Gonorrhea and Chlamydia 251

29 Trichomoniasis 257

30 Pubic Lice 264

Conditions 269

31 Yeast 271

32 Bacterial Vaginosis 281

33 Vulvodynia 289

34 Pelvic Floor Spasm and Vaginismus 297

35 Skin Conditions 305

36 UTIs and Bladder Pain Syndrome 313

37 Pelvic Organ Prolapse 320

Symptoms 325

38 Communicating with Your Provider 327

39 I Have Pain with Sex 335

40 I Have Vaginitis 342

41 I Have a Vulvar Itch 349

42 I Have Vulvar Pain 353

43 I Have an Odor 357

44 I Have Bleeding After Sex 363

Putting It All Together 371

45 Medicine Cabinet Rehab 373

46 Internet Hygiene and Apps 378

47 Journal of Old Wives' Tales 384

References 393

Acknowledgments 405

Index 407

Editorial Reviews

★ 08/05/2019

Empowerment of women through accurate information about their own bodies is the “vagenda” of ob-gyn and New York Times columnist Gunter’s comprehensive, pseudoscience-bashing discussion of all things vaginal and vulvar. Gunter begins with anatomy (including information for trans men with vulvas and trans women with vaginoplasties) and continues with some basic sex ed, focusing on female arousal while debunking the G-spot. Mixing medical background with simple, practical advice, Gunter covers health concerns she often encounters in her own practice, such as sexually transmitted infections, and the basic functions of the vulva and vagina at specific times of life—menstruation, pregnancy and birth, and menopause. Gunter is at her most vehement when advising her readers to leave healthy vaginas alone, reassuring them that yearly pelvic exams are not necessary, while also taking on nonevidence-based “natural” practices like vaginal steaming and Internet-propagated misinformation in general. Most valuably, she uses her expertise to clearly describe what to expect during healthcare sessions, giving excellent advice about effectively communicating with medical professionals. Gunter approachably, respectfully, and even playfully presents a huge amount of reproductive and sexual health education information to women, with the assurance that they can use it. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

Dr. Jen Gunter is a fountain of critically important information and she’s funny as hell. Buy this book if you have a vagina or if you spend any time at all in reasonably close proximity to one.”
—Ayelet Waldman, New York Times bestselling author of A Really Good Day

"The Vagina Bible - Dr. Jen Gunter's savvy, detailed, funny and wise guide to female health - should be required reading for every woman seeking smart information about her body. I don't say this often but it's a don't miss book."
—Deborah Blum, New York Times bestselling author of The Poison Squad

"Men who want to understand the experiences of their partners or provide sound guidance to their daughters should turn to The Vagina Bible. Jen Gunter offers authoritative information with her trademark clarity and good humor." 
—Carl Zimmer, author of She Has Her Mother's Laugh

“This book is basically everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the vagina but were afraid to ask.”
—Imani Gandy, Senior Legal Analyst, Rewire News

"In a time where pseudoscience has a large foothold, it is vital that physicians and scientists meet any reader where they live. With The Vagina Bible, Dr. Gunter has done exactly that! Her writing is rooted in science and steeped with humor and insight while the book is both inclusive and instructive. A vital book that will undoubtedly have an profound impact."
—Mark Shapiro, MD, Founder and Host, Explore The Space podcast

“Whether she is debunking the damage done by Freud or providing the low down on the science of sex, she provides a frank, funny and thoroughly science-informed perspective. This is the exact kind of book the world needs right now.  Gunter pulls no punches and provides a clear and concise summation of the facts on every vagina-related topic you can think of. Seriously. Everything. The world needs more Jen!”
—Professor Timothy Caulfield, author of Is Gwyneth Paltrow Wrong About Everything....

“Empowerment of women through accurate information about their own bodies is the “vagenda” of ob-gyn and New York Times columnist Gunter’s comprehensive, pseudoscience-bashing discussion of all things vaginal and vulvar. Gunter approachably, respectfully, and even playfully presents a huge amount of reproductive and sexual health education information to women, with the assurance that they can use it..”
—Publishers Weekly STARRED REVIEW

“As an OB-GYN with nearly three decades of experience, Gunter knows from crotches.  …Shaky assertions made by natural health products serve only to misdirect women, Gunter argues in her new book, The Vagina Bible: The Vulva and the Vagina – Separating the Myth From the Medicine, a sassy manual of anatomical and self-care tips…As the global wellness industry tops $4.2 trillion, Gunter is on a mission to arm women with science-based advice in hopes of stanching the spread of health misinformation. Increasingly, she’s been sounding the alarm about how confusion surrounding women’s bodies fuels larger efforts to control them.”
—Mother Jones

From the Publisher

10/18/2019

With this title, Canadian OB/GYN, women's health advocate, and New York Times columnist Gunter shatters myths about the "v" word. Listen not when told to wear white cotton underwear for infections: vaginas can't see, and cotton has no magical powers. Don't rush for the bathroom to halt postsex infections—zero magical cures there, too. Be wary of herpes but not hysterical: 80 percent of those with positive HSV-2s never get a sore. Do be wary of antibiotics, linked to yeast infections in 23 percent of sufferers. Bad news: no G-spot. Good news: no need to care, the female body contains many "roads" to orgasm. And fear not a life lived sans "purifying" products; tune out Big Pharma and Big Natural. Obsessions with reproductive tract purity date to a time when woman were judged by their virginity. "Celebrity influencers tap into these fears with articles about products to prevent vaginal mayhem," as if the vagina, which evolved to deliver babies long before sutures were invented, is so fragile it "is constantly in a state of near-catastrophe." VERDICT For anyone seeking a factual and fun take on a subject that should never have been, yet still is, taboo, this book will be much appreciated.—Cynthia Fox, Brooklyn

Library Journal