We are now offering OB/GYN appointments at our new satellite office in Talladega.
Dr. Hall-Minnie and Dr. Malek are excited for the opportunity to provide women’s health care to this community. They are both passionate about caring for underserved populations and believe it is important that women have access to preventative care and cancer screenings like pap smears and mammograms in addition to maternal health care. According to the Alabama Department of Public Health, “Alabama ranks third in the nation for incidence and deaths from cervical cancer.” We want to help change this figure by improving access…

I’ve never gotten the flu, so I’d rather just take my chances.
True, individuals are not equally susceptible to getting sick from the flu. Science has informed us that genetics plays a role in how a person’s immune system responds to viral illnesses. The immune cells your body has on hand when you are exposed also influence your susceptibility. And some people who become infected have only mild flu symptoms or even no symptoms at all. It is still possible to pass the virus to your coworkers or loved ones.

You may have avoided the flu so…

updated 11/20/2023
The pancreas is a small organ behind the stomach. It produces hormones like insulin and enzymes that help digest food. Like other very serious cancers, pancreatic cancer usually doesn’t cause noticeable symptoms until it reaches an advanced stage. There is no reliable test to find pancreatic cancer at an early stage. With so little available to fight this disease, you might wonder why, as a women’s physician, I am talking about pancreatic cancer.

I realize that I am the only physician many of my patients see regularly. When you come in for your well…

For the first time in the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given its approval to an oral contraceptive product that will be available without a prescription. We expect that Opill will begin to appear in pharmacies, grocery stores, and online in early 2024.

From the FDA press release (July 13, 2023):

“Today’s approval marks the first time a nonprescription daily oral contraceptive will be an available option for millions of people in the United States,” said Patrizia Cavazzoni, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “When used as directed…

Did you know, it is possible to safely lighten or eliminate your monthly period? The use of birth control pills or other hormonal birth control products to control the timing of your period or avoid it entirely is called menstrual suppression. Women can choose to suppress their periods for a short time or even for many months or years.

As a gynecologist for over two decades, I know that a monthly period and the discomfort that often accompanies it never happen at a convenient time in a woman’s life. As a busy mother of two, I understand the frustration…

For the Class of 2023, graduation events are mostly behind you, and the time until move-in day doesn’t seem like nearly enough for all your summer plans. Whether you are starting college or taking your first step into a career, a wellness exam might be on your summer to-do list.

Colleges and employers vary in whether they require a formal physical exam or other health-related assessments. Most require some health information, but regardless, this is a perfect time to take charge of your own health. Changes in your environment, diet, stress, sleep habits, and exposure to…

FOR COLORECTAL CANCER AWARENESS MONTH: THIS POST HAS BEEN REVISED TO INCLUDE NEW INFORMATION ABOUT COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING AND GENETIC TESTING.
We understand that, through a large part of her life, her gynecologist may be the only physician a woman sees every year. While our focus is your reproductive health, we want you to be well-informed about other health issues you may face now or in the future. Colorectal cancer is one of these risks.
Despite the fact that these cancers are highly preventable and very treatable in earlier stages, they are the third leading cause of cancer deaths…

What’s for dinner tonight? Chances are good that it’s not a fish or seafood meal. The USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that 8 ounces of fish/seafood per week are part of a healthy eating pattern. Most Americans (80 to 90%) do not reach that goali. We may be missing out on nutrients that benefit our overall health.
Why is Fish an Important Nutrient Source?ii
(For everyone, but especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or might become pregnancy.)

Fish is an excellent source of protein—one of the critical building blocks of tissue growth, repair…

As we come to the end of Heart Month, we’d like to remind women about unique heart-health risks you may face decades before the menopause years. In the U.S., cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death during pregnancy and the postpartum period (the weeks after delivery). 

An essential part of your pregnancy-related healthcare visits, both before conception and throughout your pregnancy, is a measure of your blood pressure. If your blood pressure is not normal, we often recheck it again later in your visit. James Martin, M.D., chair of the Pregnancy and Heart Disease…

Every January the news and social media recap events from the year gone by and try to forecast the headlines of the year ahead. New Year’s Resolutions are always a popular topic even though most of us seem to recycle the ones we made last year. Statistica (a leading supplier of marketing and consumer data) tells us that this year’s top three resolutions were to exercise more, eat healthier, and lose weight—no surprise there. We recognize that excess weight and its associated health risks are a serious national problem. But 2023 may bring us new possibilities for…