Owning Space

Aneka Hindocha

Owning Space is a women’s health podcast reclaiming the narrative around our well-being and helping women take up more space in society, in their bodies and in their stories. Hosted by Aneka Hindocha, the show explores topics often dismissed, misunderstood or considered too uncomfortable to discuss, from endometriosis and fertility to ADHD, chronic illness and sexual health. Expect honest, in-depth conversations alongside Women’s Health Weekly, covering the latest news and research shaping women’s health. Because silence helps no one. Keep taking up space.

  1. 5d ago

    Women’s Health Weekly: Womb Cancer Test, Large Breasts & Pregnancy Brain

    Welcome back to Owning Space Women’s Health Weekly, your short-form catch-up on the latest women’s health news and research from around the world. This week, I’m looking at a new test that could make investigating womb cancer less invasive, research into the physical health impact of having very large breasts, and what scientists are discovering about the biology behind “pregnancy brain”. IN THIS WEEK’S EPISODE ​ A new urine and vaginal fluid test being studied for womb cancerLarge breasts and links with chronic migraine, neck pain and sleep problemsThe science behind “pregnancy brain” and changes in memory during pregnancyA look ahead to some of the women’s health awareness dates coming up in October RESEARCH & FURTHER READING As always, all research and sources referenced in the episode are linked below if you’d like to read more. Womb cancer testing University of Manchester – research into a less invasive test using urine and vaginal fluid to help assess women experiencing bleeding after menopause. Read the University of Manchester research Large breasts, migraine and other health conditions Wake Forest University School of Medicine – research examining associations between macromastia and chronic migraine, neck pain, sleep apnoea and other neurological conditions. Read the research summary Pregnancy brain and memory Research examining how hormonal changes during pregnancy may affect brain pathways involved in memory, including findings from both animal research and pregnant women. Read the Reuters report on the research If you’re enjoying Women’s Health Weekly, follow or subscribe to Owning Space wherever you listen so each new episode lands straight in your feed. And if you’ve been enjoying the show, a quick rating or review makes a huge difference and helps more people discover Owning Space. For more women’s health news, updates and conversations, follow @owningspacepodcast on Instagram and TikTok. Until next week, keep taking up space. 💛 #WomensHealth #WomensHealthResearch #WombCancer #PregnancyBrain #Gynaecology

    Women’s Health Weekly: Womb Cancer Test, Large Breasts & Pregnancy Brain
  2. Sep 24

    Sex, Shame & Reclaiming Pleasure with Emma-Louise Boynton

    Welcome to Season 2 of Owning Space. Content warning: This episode includes discussions of eating disorders, body image and disordered eating. Please listen with care. To kick off the new season, I sit down with writer and broadcaster Emma-Louise Boynton to explore sex, shame, desire, pleasure and the messages so many women absorb about our bodies and sexuality. We discuss the shame that can surround sex and desire, where it comes from and what can happen when we begin talking openly about the things we’ve been taught to keep quiet. We explore the social conditioning that shapes how women understand their sexuality, what we’re taught makes us desirable and how difficult it can be to separate what we actually want from what we’ve been told we should want. Emma-Louise also speaks openly about her experience with an eating disorder and spending years feeling at war with her body. We talk about body image, intimacy and the relationship we have with ourselves behind closed doors, and how that relationship can affect the way we show up in the rest of our lives. We also explore sexual double standards, the expectations still placed on women, and what it can mean to question those narratives and begin writing our own. This is an open and honest conversation about unlearning shame, reconnecting with our bodies and making space for women to talk about sex, desire and pleasure without judgement. Emma-Louise’s book, Pleasure: The Reclamation of My Body, is out now. Find Emma-Louise on Instagram: @emmalouiseboynton If you’re enjoying Owning Space, follow the podcast on Spotify and Apple so you don’t miss future episodes. It really helps the show grow. Follow on Instagram and TikTok: @owningspacepodcast Watch the full video version on YouTube.

    Sex, Shame & Reclaiming Pleasure with Emma-Louise Boynton
  3. Sep 21

    Women’s Health Weekly: Endometriosis Saliva Test, Testosterone & Breast Cancer Treatment

    Welcome back to Owning Space Women’s Health Weekly, your short-form catch-up on some of the latest research, news and developments shaping women’s health. This week, I’m looking at new developments around a saliva test for endometriosis, research examining differences in the treatment women and men receive for the same health conditions, the growing conversation around testosterone use during menopause, and a major change in access to a breast cancer treatment on the NHS. IN THIS WEEK’S EPISODE ​Endometriosis and the potential role of saliva testing in diagnosis​Differences in medical treatment between women and men​Testosterone use during menopause and the gaps in the evidence​NHS access to Enhertu for advanced breast cancer As always, all research and sources referenced in the episode are linked below if you’d like to read more about any of these topics. RESEARCH & FURTHER READING Endometriosis saliva testing NICE – guidance and evidence relating to technologies for the rapid diagnosis of endometriosis, including biomarker testing. Technologies for the rapid diagnosis of endometriosis Differences in treatment between women and men PLOS One – Measured treatment differences between sexes and genders: A scoping review. Researchers found significant sex differences in treatment in 33 of 38 retrospective case series included in the review. ⁠Read the research Testosterone use in menopausal women US Food and Drug Administration – scientific workshop examining the evidence and remaining knowledge gaps around testosterone use in menopausal women, including sexual function, cognition, mood, musculoskeletal health and long-term safety. ⁠ Testosterone Use in Menopausal Women Enhertu and advanced breast cancer NICE – guidance on trastuzumab deruxtecan, known as Enhertu, for HER2-low advanced or metastatic breast cancer.⁠ NICE guidance on Enhertu If you’re enjoying Women’s Health Weekly, follow or subscribe to Owning Space wherever you listen so each new episode lands straight with you and you’ll be the first to know whenever a new podcast episode drops. And if you’ve been enjoying the show, a quick rating or review makes a huge difference and helps more people discover Owning Space. For more women’s health news, updates and conversations, follow @owningspacepodcast on Instagram and TikTok. Until next week, keep taking up space. 💛 #WomensHealth #Endometriosis #Menopause #Testosterone #BreastCancer #WomensHealthResearch #GenderHealthGap #NHS #Enhertu #EndometriosisDiagnosis

    Women’s Health Weekly: Endometriosis Saliva Test, Testosterone & Breast Cancer Treatment
  4. Sep 14

    Women’s Health Weekly: Paracetamol in Pregnancy, Menopause Brain Changes & Unmet Breastfeeding Goals

    Welcome back to Owning Space Women’s Health Weekly, your short-form catch-up on some of the latest research, news and developments shaping women’s health. This week, I’m looking at new research into paracetamol use during pregnancy and reproductive development in daughters, what we’re learning about the female brain through menopause, the research gaps that still exist around women’s neurological health, and a new study exploring unmet breastfeeding goals and the support women receive after birth. IN THIS WEEK’S EPISODE ​ Paracetamol use during pregnancy and reproductive development​ Brain changes across menopause​ Gaps in research around menopause and neurological health​ Unmet breastfeeding goals and support after birth​ As always, all research and sources referenced in the episode are linked below if you’d like to read more about any of these topics. RESEARCH & FURTHER READING Paracetamol in pregnancy & reproductive developmentHuman Reproduction Open – research examining prenatal paracetamol exposure and reproductive development in infant girls https://doi.org/10.1093/hropen/hoag073 Female brain changes across puberty, pregnancy & menopauseNature Communications – research using MRI data to examine structural brain changes across major female hormonal transitions. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-76755-2 Menopause & neurological healthNature Reviews Neurology – a research roadmap examining how menopause may affect brain health and neurological conditions, and highlighting major gaps in the evidence base. The review notes that around two-thirds of women report cognitive concerns during the menopausal transition. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41582-026-01244-5 Breastfeeding goals after full-term birthJAMA Network Open – Met and Unmet Breastfeeding Goals Following Full-Term Deliveries. In the study sample, 40.3% of participants who had stopped breastfeeding had not met the goal they set during pregnancy, and unmet goals were associated with breastfeeding difficulties and less helpful support. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2853807 If you’re enjoying Women’s Health Weekly, follow or subscribe to Owning Space wherever you listen so each new episode lands straight with you and you’ll be the first to know whenever a new podcast episode drops. And if you’ve been enjoying the show, a quick rating or review makes a huge difference and helps more people discover Owning Space. For more women’s health news, updates and conversations, follow @owningspacepodcast on Instagram and TikTok. Until next week, keep taking up space. 💛

    Women’s Health Weekly: Paracetamol in Pregnancy, Menopause Brain Changes & Unmet Breastfeeding Goals
  5. Sep 7

    Women’s Health Weekly: Premature Menopause, Breast Cancer & GLP-1s

    Welcome back to Owning Space Women’s Health Weekly, your short-form catch-up on some of the latest research, news and developments shaping women’s health. This week, I’m looking at new research around premature menopause and cardiovascular health, what we’re learning about heart health following breast cancer radiotherapy, the conversation around postpartum psychosis, and fascinating early research exploring semaglutide, GLP-1s and ageing. IN THIS WEEK’S EPISODE • Premature menopause and high blood pressure
• Breast cancer radiotherapy and long-term heart health
• Postpartum psychosis and maternal mental health
• Semaglutide, GLP-1s and emerging research into ageing As always, all research and sources referenced in the episode are linked below if you’d like to read more about any of these topics. Premature menopause & hypertension
JAMA – research exploring the association between earlier menopause and subsequent hypertension in women from the UK Biobank.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2853911 Breast cancer radiotherapy & heart health
JAMA Network Open – research examining breast radiotherapy laterality and ischaemic heart disease according to existing cardiovascular risk.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2853516 Postpartum psychosis
The Guardian – further reading on postpartum psychosis, maternal mental health and gaps in research and awareness highlighted by recent events.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/sep/04/lindsay-clancy-trial-postpartum-psychosis-experts Semaglutide, GLP-1s & ageing
Nature – research examining late-life semaglutide treatment, biological ageing and lifespan in female mice. Important note: this is preclinical research in mice and does not establish that semaglutide slows ageing or extends lifespan in humans.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-026-10940-7 If you’re enjoying Women’s Health Weekly, follow or subscribe to Owning Space so new episodes land directly with you and you’ll be the first to know whenever a new podcast episode drops. And if you can, leave a rating or review. As an independent podcast, it genuinely supports the show and makes it easier for more people to discover Owning Space. For more women’s health updates and content, follow @owningspacepodcast on Instagram and TikTok. And if there’s a story, study or development you think I should cover in a future episode, send it my way. Until next week, keep taking up space. 💛

  6. Aug 31

    Women’s Health Weekly: HRT, HPV & Heart Attack Diagnosis

    Welcome to the first Owning Space Women’s Health Weekly, a new short-form episode bringing you a snapshot of the latest research, news and developments shaping women’s health. For this first episode, I’m looking back across August at some of the stories and research that caught my attention, from HRT and dementia to at-home HPV testing, changes in heart attack diagnosis, birth trauma and England’s growing gynaecology waiting list. Going forward, Women’s Health Weekly will be released every Monday morning, giving you a quick way to start the week informed about what’s happening in women’s health, both here in the UK and globally. IN THIS AUGUST ROUNDUP HRT and dementia researchAt-home HPV testing and cervical screeningHeart attack diagnosis and womenBirth trauma and childbirth-related PTSDEngland’s growing gynaecology waiting list RESEARCH & FURTHER READING HRT & dementiaAlzheimer’s & Dementia - peer-reviewed researchhttps://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/alz.71679 UK Biobank - research overviewhttps://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/research-stories/menopause-hrt-cuts-dementia-risk-if-started-early/ HPV self-testing & cervical screeningNHS England - HPV home-testing rollouthttps://www.england.nhs.uk/2026/08/nhs-rolls-out-discreet-home-testing-kits-against-cervical-cancer-for-millions-of-women/ NHS London - cervical self-swabbing rollouthttps://www.england.nhs.uk/london/2026/08/27/self-swab-cervical-screening-now-offered-at-every-gp-in-london/ Heart attack diagnosis & womenAmerican College of Cardiology - updated Universal Definition of Myocardial Infarctionhttps://www.acc.org/latest-in-cardiology/journal-scans/2026/08/25/13/59/global-cv-societies-release-updated-universal-definition-of-mi-esc-2026 Birth trauma & childbirth-related PTSDMidwifery - childbirth-related PTSD researchhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0266613826002627 Gynaecology waiting listsRoyal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists – latest waiting-list figureshttps://www.rcog.org.uk/news/gynaecology-waits-worsen-for-third-month-as-demand-rises-rcog-warns/ Follow Owning Space wherever you’re listening so you don’t miss the next Women’s Health Weekly, released every Monday morning. For more conversations around women’s health, our bodies and the stories that deserve more space, follow @owningspacepodcast on Instagram and TikTok. And if there’s a story, study or development you think I should cover in a future episode, send it my way. Until next week, keep taking up space. 💛

    Women’s Health Weekly: HRT, HPV & Heart Attack Diagnosis
  7. Jul 23

    Endometriosis, Workplace Discrimination & Employment Rights with Sanju Pal

    Content note: This episode includes discussions of endometriosis, chronic pain, heavy menstrual bleeding and workplace discrimination. After being unfairly dismissed following surgery for severe endometriosis, Sanju Pal spent more than seven years fighting for justice in what became one of the UK's most significant employment law cases relating to women's health. In this episode of Owning Space, we discuss Pal v Accenture, the landmark legal case in which judgment was handed down on 19 January 2026. We explore what led to the case, how it has helped shape conversations around endometriosis, disability and employers' responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010, and why so many people living with endometriosis continue to face barriers at work. This is an honest conversation about living with chronic pain, navigating workplace discrimination, advocating for change, and why employers need to better understand the realities of menstrual health. We also discuss the importance of speaking up, creating more inclusive workplaces, and ensuring that no one has to choose between their health and their career. Whether you're living with endometriosis, another chronic illness, supporting someone who is, or simply want to better understand workplace equality, this is a conversation you won't want to miss. Sponsor: POCOCO Transform your evenings with POCOCO's beautifully designed galaxy projectors, perfect for winding down, creating a calming atmosphere and improving your bedtime routine. Use code OWNINGSPACE for 21% off your order. Website: https://pococo.com Follow @owningspacepodcast for conversations that expand how we understand women's health and strengthen women's place in society. You can watch the full video version on YouTube, or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

    Endometriosis, Workplace Discrimination & Employment Rights with Sanju Pal

About

Owning Space is a women’s health podcast reclaiming the narrative around our well-being and helping women take up more space in society, in their bodies and in their stories. Hosted by Aneka Hindocha, the show explores topics often dismissed, misunderstood or considered too uncomfortable to discuss, from endometriosis and fertility to ADHD, chronic illness and sexual health. Expect honest, in-depth conversations alongside Women’s Health Weekly, covering the latest news and research shaping women’s health. Because silence helps no one. Keep taking up space.

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