Women's Health

Expecting a new baby can make your heart sing – but it also makes your heart work harder and undergo some significant changes. Here OB/GYN, Jeffrey S. Illeck, MD, shares what you should know to keep you and your baby safe and healthy throughout your pregnancy.   The heart builds more mass Your heart doesn’t … Read More

Sonia Mann Lehl began advocating for herself and her baby the minute her water broke in the middle of the night, just before Thanksgiving 2022. Although she was only 24 weeks and five days pregnant—and hadn’t experienced her water breaking for the births of her two older sons—she knew what was happening. And she knew … Read More

Fertility challenges go beyond the empty nursery room walls. Those struggling to conceive often experience stress, guilt, feeling helpless and depression. Taking care of your mental health throughout the fertility journey is essential—and it is possible. Psychological support and counseling have been found to decrease the negative emotions associated with fertility challenges.   “The desire to … Read More

When Sonia revealed to her father over dinner that she was seven weeks pregnant with her second child, he was so overwhelmed with joy that he bought wine for the entire restaurant.   The following morning, his excitement quickly turned to terror.   “The next call he gets from me was from the ambulance telling him I’m … Read More

When Amy Rudder first noticed a lump in her right breast, she wasn’t concerned. At just 27, the Hoag ER nurse thought she was too young to have breast cancer. Her perspective shifted dramatically, however, after she met with Hoag OB-GYN Brooke Hargrove, M.D., who ordered an ultrasound.   “I made the mistake of looking over … Read More

If the term “self-care” conjures up images of white fluffy robes and luxurious spas, you might be surprised to learn that your colonoscopy is also a form of self-care. So is showing up for your annual mammogram, Pap smear and yearly physical exam. And that exercise class that helps keep your weight in check, that’s … Read More

NEWPORT BEACH/IRVINE, Calif. [March 28, 2025] — Hoag is proud to announce its recent recognition by the Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology (SOAP). Hoag Hospital Newport Beach has been redesignated as a SOAP Center of Excellence (COE), following its initial designation in 2020, and Hoag Hospital Irvine has achieved its first-time designation as a … Read More

As a teenager embarking on her freshman year of high school, Amanda Stratton began experiencing severe and mysterious abdominal pain.   “Doctors chalked my symptoms up to irritable bowel syndrome, and that was all they could really offer me as a diagnosis,” she said.  Months turned into years, and despite following prescribed protocols from specialists and … Read More

If someone with a runny nose and flushed cheeks asked to hold your newborn, you’d likely politely – but firmly – decline. Avoiding contact with people who are sick is just as important when you’re pregnant. February is International Prenatal Infection Prevention Month, and, here, a perinatal nurse navigator at the Hoag Women’s Health Institute … Read More

By Christine Burke,PT,DPT,PRPC, MHA and Alicia Meyer,PT,DPT,PRPC We have heard the same response many times when we ask a woman whether she experiences painful intercourse. “Not any more than normal.” At the Hoag Pelvic Health Program, we emphasize that no amount of pain with sex is normal. Temporary discomfort, particularly as a side effect of … Read More