(MIS)Treated

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(MIS)Treated, a TVO podcast, explores how medicine has – and still is – failing women and speaks to the people looking to make a difference. Join host Nam Kiwanuka to hear real life stories and expert interviews on how the mistreatment and misdiagnosis of women affects us all.

-6 H

How Canada stops forced sterilization of Indigenous women

This episode is about forced and coerced sterilization of Indigenous women and girls in Canada. Please listen with care. In 2025, Senator Yvonne Boyer, Ontario's first Indigenous senator, proposed a bill to criminalize forced and coerced sterilization. If passed, Bill S-228 will amend the Criminal Code to ensure that forced sterilization would be included in the definition of aggravated assault, punishable by up to 14 years in prison. The bill follows Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission - the TRC. The TRC was meant to bring a "fair and lasting" resolution to the legacy of Indian residential schools, and by extension, Canadian colonialism. One of the Calls to Action from the TRC was for Canada to hold a national inquiry into the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. That Inquiry dealt with a wide range of concerns, including forced and coerced sterilizations. This Red Dress Day, host and producer Nam Kiwanuka features Harmony Redsky from the Survivors Circle for Reproductive Justice. Harmony reveals how one survivor was sterilized as recently as 2024. The episode discusses the history of forced and coerced sterilization, the organization's survivor-led initiatives, and the current push for legislative change to criminalize these violations. Special thanks to Pam Palmeter for production support. Got a question or comment? Email us at: mistreatedpodcast@tvo.org If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868. Research links: Survivors Circle for Reproductive Justice https://www.reproductivejusticesurvivors.ca/ Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1100100015576/1571581687074 UN Special Rapporteurs Highlight Forced Sterilization of Indigenous Women in Canada https://cglj.org/2019/07/18/un-special-rapporteurs-highlight-forced-sterilization-of-indigenous-women-in-canada/ Canada indigenous women were coerced into sterilisations, lawsuit says https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/27/canada-indigenous-women-sterilisation-lawsuit National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1448633299414/1534526479029 Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action https://nctr.ca/about/truth-and-reconciliation-commission-of-canada-calls-to-action/ Hundreds gather to celebrate Murray Sinclair's legacy with round dance in Winnipeg https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/murray-sinclair-round-dance-9.7059423 Report of the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/gen/g16/000/97/pdf/g1600097.pdf?OpenElement A legacy of colonialism: Senate Bill S-228 aims to criminalize the forced sterilization of womenhttps://www.ipolitics.ca/2025/08/07/a-legacy-of-colonialism-senate-bill-s-228-aims-to-criminalize-the-forced-sterilization-of-women/ Rather than a ‘chilling effect’, Bill S-228 provides protection from forced sterilization https://healthydebate.ca/2026/04/topic/bill-s228-protection-forced-sterilization/ A federal bill aimed at protecting women could actually cause harm https://healthydebate.ca/2026/03/topic/bill-s228-sterilization-womens-health/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

39 min
-6 J

How do hormonal changes impact women's brain health?

Only 3% of studies in neuroscience examine a female-only population, even though women make up 50% of the population. When it comes to neuroscience, research on women's brain health is greatly lacking. Host and producer Nam Kiwanuka speaks with two scientists who are leading the research, not only on women's brain health but how hormonal changes impact women's brain health. Nam asks the experts about the latest findings, the gaps in research in this field, and the challenges that neuroscientists face when trying to get their work funded in the first place. Is Canada falling behind in women's brain health research? What opportunities are there in this research space? In collaboration with MaRS Impact Health and recorded in front of a live audience at a conference putting women's health at the forefront, Nam interviews Dr. Liisa Galea from CAMH, The Galea Lab and Dr. Natasha Rajah from the Brain Health Equity in Aging and Memory (BHEAM) Lab at Toronto Metropolitan University. Links: The Lab of Behavioral Neuroendocrinology: https://www.galealab.com/ The Brain Health Equity in Aging & Memory (BHEAM) lab: https://www.bheamlab.ca/ Mind the Gap: Hormonal Contraceptives and Brain Healthhttps://womenshealthresearchcluster.com/professional-development/conferences/mind-the-gap/ Estradiol-based Menopausal Hormone Therapy is associated with improved episodic and prospective memory scores in the Canadian Longitudinal Study of Aginghttps://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.13.25320471v1 Biological sex & menopause effects on vascular health and rsFMRI connectivity in middle-aged adults https://www.bheamlab.ca/downloads/AAIC_abstract_Kearley_2025.pdf See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

27 min
14 AVR.

How to combat the Black maternal health crisis

In the U.S., Black women are more than three times as likely to die during childbirth as white women. In the U.K., Black women are more than twice as likely to die in childbirth, and babies born to Black mothers are at an increased risk of stillbirth. Here in Canada, stats to better understand health outcomes for Black mothers aren't even available. While there are provinces in Canada that collect race-based data, historically, this country hasn't tracked health outcomes by race, which means the picture for what Black maternal health looks like across the country is unclear. However, if statistics from other jurisdictions are any indication, birthing and pregnancy are a greater risk to Black mothers, no matter where they live or what their socioeconomic background is. On this episode, we speak with Jennifer Dockery and Jenelle Ambrose Dash about the work that the Black Maternal Health Collective is doing, including Toronto's Black Maternal Health Week taking place April 11-17th. We also talk about accountability, the concerns of collecting race-based data in Canada, and what action looks like. Got a question or comment? Email us at: mistreatedpodcast@tvo.org If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868. Research links: The weathering hypothesis and the health of African-American women and infants: evidence and speculations https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1467758/ Weathering” and Age Patterns of Allostatic Load Scores Among Blacks and Whites in the United States https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1470581/ Black Women Excluded from Critical Studies Due to ‘Weathering’ https://medicine.yale.edu/news-article/black-women-excluded-from-critical-studies-due-to-weathering/ Childbirth Is Deadlier for Black Families Even When They’re Rich, Expansive Study Finds https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/02/12/upshot/child-maternal-mortality-rich-poor.html Black midwife's death highlights racial gap in maternal mortality https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/black-midwifes-death-highlights-racial-gap-in-maternal-mortality "Colorblind Care" Is Costing Lives. Meet The Woman Who Started Toronto’s First Black Maternal Health Week To Change Thathttps://www.essence.com/news/toronto-first-black-maternal-health-week/ Racial variations of adverse perinatal outcomes: A population-based retrospective cohort study in Ontario, Canada https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9246499/ Black Maternal Morbidity and Mortality https://www.bornontario.ca/initiatives-resources/health-equity-and-indigenous-health/black-maternal-morbidity-and-mortality/ Beyonce opens up about pregnancy complications with twins https://abcnews.com/GMA/Culture/beyonce-opens-pregnancy-complications-twins/story?id=62480855 Serena Williams: What my life-threatening experience taught me about giving birth https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/20/opinions/protect-mother-pregnancy-williams-opinion Systemic racism affects maternity care for black women in England, say MPs https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/sep/17/systemic-racism-affects-maternity-care-for-black-women-in-england-say-mps https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/u-s-maternal-deaths-more-than-doubled-over-20-years-heres-who-fared-the-worst https://www.npr.org/2024/05/28/nx-s1-4977627/rachel-somerstein-invisible-labor-c-section https://sph.umich.edu/pursuit/2020posts/state-of-maternal-mortality-the-inequitable-burden-on-black-mothers.html https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667193X22002253 https://www.communitysolutions.com/resources/medical-bias-weathering-deadly-impact-black-mothers https://nationalpost.com/news/maternal-death-injury-in-canada https://www.cbc.ca/documentaries/i-made-a-documentary-about-the-black-maternal-health-crisis-then-i-experienced-it-1.7101607 https://www.cdc.gov/womens-health/features/maternal-mortality.html?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/healthequity/features/maternal-mortality/index.html https://www.mckinsey.com/institute-for-economic-mobility/our-insights/closing-the-black-maternal-health-gap-healthier-lives-stronger-economies https://www.milwaukeeindependent.com/newswire/black-maternal-mortality-rate-reaches-3-5-times-white-women-racial-gap-childbirth-widens/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

32 min
7 AVR.

Can Canada still eliminate cervical cancer by 2040?

Doctors are calling for action. Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers, and rates in Canada had been dropping for years. Canada had even pledged to eliminate it completely by 2040. Not anymore. Rates have plateaued, and cervical cancer is the fourth most diagnosed cancer and fourth leading cause of cancer death among females worldwide. Is Canada still on track? On this episode, we talk about the causes of cervical cancer, how prevention strategies fall short because of vaccine hesitancy, how under-served communities are at risk and what jurisdictions around the world are on track to eliminate cervical cancer. Guests: Michelle Halligan Director of the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer and Nakia Lee-Foon, a Health equity researcher at the Institute for Better Health, Trillium Health Partners. Research links: Disparities in the allocation of research funding to gynecologic cancers by Funding to Lethality scores https://www.gynecologiconcology-online.net/article/S0090-8258(18)31302-7/abstract Denmark could eradicate cervical cancer by 2040: study https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/article/denmark-could-eradicate-cervical-cancer-by-2040-study/ Addressing Anxiety and Fear during the Female Pelvic Examination https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2150132721992195 Researchers redesign vaginal speculum to ease fear and pain https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/article/researchers-redesign-vaginal-speculum-to-ease-fear-and-pain/ New vaginal speculum design might motivate women to go for health checkups https://www.tudelft.nl/en/ide/delft-design-stories/new-vaginal-speculum-design-might-motivate-women-to-go-for-health-checkups Cervical cancer is ‘fastest-rising’ form in Canada as doctors urge action https://globalnews.ca/news/11698821/cervical-cancer-cases-rising-canada/ Progress Against Cervical Cancer in Canadahttps://health-infobase.canada.ca/cancer/progress-against-cancers/reports.html?type=1 New Canadian Cancer Statistics report suggests Canada may fall short of its 2040 goal to eliminate cervical cancer https://cancer.ca/en/about-us/media-releases/2025/canadian-cancer-statistics-2025 https://www.instituteforbetterhealth.com/member/lee-foon-nakia/ https://www.partnershipagainstcancer.ca/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

34 min
31 MARS

An Open Conversation On Pregnancy Loss

Pregnancy loss affects millions each year – so why do so many women have to suffer in silence after a miscarriage or stillbirth? According to a 2021 Lancet Study, an estimated 23 million miscarriages occur every year worldwide: 44 pregnancy losses each minute. For those who have experienced a miscarriage or a stillbirth, the joy of welcoming a child into the world can quickly turn into a nightmare of loss and isolation. On today's episode, host and producer Nam Kiwanuka speaks to Idalina Leandro about the motivations for her documentary, "An Open Conversation," which aims to destigmatize pregnancy and infant loss. The conversation explores how the silence around pregnancy loss impacts parents differently, why mothers blame themselves and how the healthcare system fails to support grieving families. Got a question or comment? Email us at: mistreatedpodcast@tvo.org If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868. Research Links: Canadian gynecologists group issues new compassionate care guidelines for miscarriage patients https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-new-guidelines-early-pregnancy-loss-patients/ Idalina Leandro’s ‘An Open Conversation’ Aims To Destigmatize Pregnancy & Infant Loss https://www.shedoesthecity.com/idalina-leandros-an-open-conversation-aims-to-de-stigmatize-pregnancy-infant-loss/ Pregnancy, Infant & Child Loss Support Centre https://pilsc.org/ Why those suffering miscarriages could benefit from specialized clinics https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/pregnancy-loss-sogc-1.7563527 My wife and I were left on our own after miscarriage https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/mothers-day-miscarriage-pregnancy-loss-first-person-1.6836319 New Zealand approves paid leave following miscarriage or still birth https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/new-zealand-paid-leave-miscarriage-still-birth-1.5964604 Thousands of Canadians miscarry every year. For them, Mother's Day can be a reminder of loss https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/mothers-day-grief-loss-1.7532302 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0015028223017193 https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)00682-6/abstract https://www.jogc.com/article/S1701-2163(25)00154-9/fulltext See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

44 min
24 MARS

The Pink Pill: De-stigmatizing women's libido

You may know Viagra as the "blue pill" but what about Addyi, the "pink pill"? Addyi was first approved in the U.S. in 2015 to treat hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) – the medical term for women experiencing low libidos. According to the National Institutes of Health, it is "the most commonly identified sexual problem among women." It was first identified in 1977 but getting drugs to market for women's sexual health faces unique challenges. Addyi is one of two approved drugs that help improve women's low libido, while 26 drugs have been approved for male sexual health by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. On this episode, host and producer Nam Kiwanuka speaks with Aisling Chin-Yee about the history of how Addyi came to market and what making her documentary, "The Pink Pill: Sex, Drugs & Who Has Control", has taught her about how this pink pill is changing the conversation about women's libido. Links: How U.S. Tried but Failed to Wipe Out 70 Years of Global Consent on Women’s Rights https://msmagazine.com/2026/03/19/usa-csw-70-women/ A Pill for Sexual Desire Reaches a New Group of Women https://time.com/7341012/sexual-desire-pill-addyi-cindy-eckert/ The Pink Pill : New documentary exposes the long battle to bring Addyi — the first libido drug for women — to market https://theconversation.com/the-pink-pill-new-documentary-exposes-the-long-battle-to-bring-addyi-th… https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8673442/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32301355/ https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/414363 https://www.sproutpharmaceuticals.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

35 min
10 MARS

What's it like to try and get diagnosed with endometriosis?

Because the male body has been the default in medicine, conditions that primarily impact women, like PCOS and endometriosis, are under researched, misunderstood and under funded. Even conditions that are commonly understood in men like autism, ADHD and cardiovascular disease are misunderstood, misdiagnosed and under diagnosed in women. On today's episode we speak with journalist Tracey Lindeman about her book, "Bleed: Destroying Myths and Misogyny in Endometriosis Care". We talk to her about how her pain was dismissed for decades and how it took 24 years to be diagnosed with endometriosis and adenomyosis. Got a question or comment? Email us at: mistreatedpodcast@tvo.org If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868. Research links: Endometriosis and Misogyny With Tracey Lindemanhttps://canadianwomen.org/blog/endometriosis-and-misogyny-with-tracey-lindeman/https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/women-health-second-opinion-1.7531876 https://www.ellecanada.com/culture/society/the-gender-health-gap-misogyny-in-medicine https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/polycystic-ovary-syndrome https://www.cfp.ca/content/72/1/e17 https://www.oma.org/newsroom/news-releases/2026/january/new-study-finds-female-family-doctors-spend-more-time-caring-for-patients-yet-earn-less/ https://m-power.mecca.com/blog/what-is----medical-misogyny----and-how-is-it-impacting-women---s-health- https://www.bmj.com/content/387/bmj.q2780.full https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/women-pain-dismissed-1.7390686 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

40 min
3 MARS

Why is it so hard to get care for the menopause transition?

In the last few years, menopause has become a big business and the global market for it is worth billions of dollars. Yet the people who need care during this transition are still struggling to get the help they need. In a special live episode of (MIS)Treated, we talk about how women's health is having a moment. We talk about surgical menopause, the impact the family doctor crisis is having on those in the menopause transition, why one guest used AI to self-diagnose their cancer and the harms caused by misinformation in women's health. Got a question or comment? Email us at: mistreatedpodcast@tvo.org If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868. The Government of Ontario's Mental Health Support Resources: https://www.ontario.ca/page/find-mental-health-support Follow TVO on social: https://www.youtube.com/theagenda https://www.instagram.com/mistreatedtvo Join our newsletter: https://www.tvo.org/newsletters Visit the TVO Today website for current affairs journalism, documentaries and podcasts: https://www.tvo.org Research links The menopause gap: why some women suffer more and get less care: https://theconversation.com/the-menopause-gap-why-some-women-suffer-more-and-get-less-care-272753 What You Should Know About the Non-White Experience of Menopause: https://katiecouric.com/health/wellness/non-white-menopause-healthcare-gap/ Menopause: our study revealed how it affects the brain, cognition and mental health: https://theconversation.com/menopause-our-study-revealed-how-it-affects-the-brain-cognition-and-mental-health-275329 After Decades of Misunderstanding, Menopause is Finally Having Its Moment: https://medicine.yale.edu/news-article/after-decades-of-misunderstanding-menopause-is-finally-having-its-moment/ Managing menopause after cancer: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)02802-7/fulltext https://menopauseandcancer.org/alternatives-to-hrt-during-menopause-after-cancer-what-you-need-to-know/ https://obgyn.utoronto.ca/faculty/marie-christakis https://possibilityseeds.ca/team/farrah-khan-she-her/ https://theconversation.com/profiles/michelle-cohen-1025333 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

53 min

Tout afficher (29)

Nam Kiwanuka

Animateur

5

sur 5

42 notes

Educational and Noteworthy

2025-12-24

Zwarhol88

As a male listener, I appreciate learning about the mistreatment of women in healthcare. With every episode, I’m learning how to be a better ally. Thank you for shedding light on these topics and educating the masses.
Empowering and Empathetic

2025-10-01

Magsimillion74

Enlightening, empowering, empathetic, and educational. Look forward to the next instalments!

(MIS)Treated, a TVO podcast, explores how medicine has – and still is – failing women and speaks to the people looking to make a difference. Join host Nam Kiwanuka to hear real life stories and expert interviews on how the mistreatment and misdiagnosis of women affects us all.