a.k.a. your quick reference list for Body Literacy 101
Women’s health vocabulary is often confusing because the language comes from many different worlds: medicine, biology, public health, and everyday conversations women have with each other when something doesn’t feel quite right.
This glossary brings those worlds together.
Below is a growing collection of common and not-so-common terms you’ll encounter in women’s health, from microbiomes and hormones to postpartum recovery and diagnostics. Some are clinical. Some are cultural shorthand. Some are simply words that deserve to be used correctly.
If you’ve ever wondered:
- What exactly the vaginal microbiome does
- How hormones actually affect the body
- Why recurrent infections happen
- What perimenopause really means
this is a good place to start.
Over the coming months, this blog will delve deeper into the science behind women’s health, i.e., hormones, microbiomes, diagnostics, formulations, and the quiet mechanics by which the female human body maintains balance.
Think of this as our Women’s Health Classroom in print form: a growing glossary of terms you’ll see often around here, explained simply and relatably without losing the science.
On Balance
Many everyday symptoms trace back to the vaginal microbiome, an invisible ecosystem living in the body.
pH Balance
Your “down-there” security guard. When vaginal acidity is balanced, harmful bacteria struggle to get in.
The Microbiome
Your body’s internal ecosystem (found in the gut, genital area, on the skin, in the mouth, etc.). Like a garden, it thrives when the right organisms are allowed to grow.
Dysbiosis
When that ecosystem falls out of balance. Once the good bacteria lose ground, other microbes move in.
Lactobacillus
The "clean-up crew" of the vaginal microbiome. These beneficial bacteria keep the environment acidic and protective.
Bacterial Vaginosis (BV)
Often recognised by a “fishy” odour. It signals a microbial imbalance, not a hygiene failure.
Thrush (Yeast Infection)
When yeast grows faster than the body can regulate. It’s common, uncomfortable, and often linked to disruption of the microbiome.
UTI (Urinary Tract Infection)
When bacteria irritate the urinary system. The burning sensation during urination is the body’s unmistakable alarm bell.
Discharge
Your body’s daily cleaning service. Normal discharge helps maintain vaginal health and changes throughout the menstrual cycle.
Arousal Fluid
Your body’s natural lubricant. Produced during sexual arousal to reduce friction and protect tissues.
Probiotics
Reinforcements for beneficial bacteria. They help restore microbial balance after antibiotics, illness, or disruption.
Scented Soaps
Often the enemy at the gate. Fragrances and harsh cleansers can disrupt the vaginal microbiome more than they help.
On Pregnancy
The body undergoes some of its most dramatic transformations during and after pregnancy.
The Fourth Trimester
The first three months after birth. A period of intense physical, hormonal, and emotional adjustment.
Postpartum Depletion
The body’s “mother’s tax”. Pregnancy and breastfeeding draw heavily on nutrient stores and energy reserves.
Lochia
The body’s post-baby cleanout. Vaginal bleeding and discharge that help the uterus return to its pre-pregnancy state.
Pelvic Floor
Your internal hammock. These muscles support the bladder, uterus, and bowel and often need strengthening after childbirth.
Hormonal Crash
The sharp drop in estrogen and progesterone after delivery. It explains why emotions can feel overwhelming in early postpartum weeks.
Iron Deficiency
That battery-on-low feeling. Common after heavy periods, pregnancy, or childbirth.
Secondary Infertility
When conceiving a second child takes longer than the first. More common than many people realise.
Mastitis
When milk ducts become blocked or infected, often causing breast pain, swelling, and fever.
Postpartum Depression (PPD)
Not simply sadness. A serious mood disorder influenced by hormones, sleep disruption, and psychological stress.
On Hormones
Hormones shape far more than fertility, they influence mood, metabolism, sleep, and immune responses.
Perimenopause
The hormonal transition leading up to menopause. Cycles may become irregular and symptoms can begin years before periods stop.
Hot Flushes
The body’s internal heater turning on unexpectedly. A classic symptom of hormonal fluctuation.
Night Sweats
Midnight saunas. Hormonal shifts can disrupt sleep through episodes of intense sweating.
Vaginal Atrophy
When vaginal tissues become thinner and drier as estrogen declines.
Brain Fog
When your brain feels like it has bad Wi-Fi. The thought is there, it just takes longer to load.
Estrogen
The elasticity queen. This hormone supports reproductive tissues, bones, skin, and cardiovascular health.
Progesterone
The quiet stabiliser. It helps regulate sleep, mood, and the menstrual cycle.
Menopause
Defined medically as twelve consecutive months without a menstrual period.
On Gynaecological Conditions
Many women encounter these conditions at some point in life, though they are often poorly explained.
Fibroids
Non-cancerous growths in the uterus, particularly common among women of African descent.
PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome)
A hormonal condition that can disrupt ovulation, metabolism, and menstrual cycles.
Endometriosis
When tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus, often causing severe pain.
Ovarian Cysts
Small fluid-filled sacs that can form on the ovaries. Many resolve naturally.
Menorrhagia
The clinical term for unusually heavy menstrual bleeding.
HPV (Human Papillomavirus)
A common virus linked to cervical cancer risk in certain strains.
Cervical Screening
Tests designed to detect early cellular changes before cancer develops.
VIA-VILI
A low-cost cervical screening method commonly used in many African health systems.
On Science
These are the words you’ll often encounter when biology meets innovation.
Bioavailability
The delivery question. How much of a compound actually reaches the bloodstream and becomes useful to the body.
Active Compounds
The molecules in plants or medicines responsible for biological effects.
Botanicals
Plants used in traditional or modern medicine because of their bioactive compounds.
Phytochemistry
The science of plant molecules and how they interact with human biology.
Host-Microbe Interaction
The ongoing dialogue between the body and its microbial residents.
Formulation Science
The discipline of designing how compounds are made, delivered, e.g., capsules, gels, powders, and more.
Translational Medicine
Turning discoveries in laboratories into treatments that work in real healthcare systems.
Preventive Health
Approaches focused on maintaining balance and preventing disease before symptoms escalate.
Nutraceuticals
Food with a job i.e., nutritional compounds designed to support specific health functions.
Terms We’ll Explore More Deeply
Some of the concepts in this article deserve their own discussion which we'll cover in future posts.
- The vaginal microbiome and why it matters for recurrent infections
- How hormones influence immunity, sleep, and metabolism
- The science of formulating products and why delivery mechanisms matter
- The diagnostic gap in women’s health
- How African botanicals intersect with modern medicine
For now, think of this glossary as the beginning of a shared vocabulary that will continue to grow. Consider bookmarking it as your reference point for body literacy.
Understanding women’s health begins with language.
When the words become clearer, the body often does too.