toys: Tally of the Dolls

Image “It’s escapist,” Simone Paget said of her work with @joe_the_intern.CreditSimone Paget It began at the breakfast buffet. He was impossible to miss: ruggedly handsome, his chiseled cheek marred only by a single, stretching scar hinting at a rough-and-ready past. I sensed a military background, his clothing-optional approach allowing me the full scope of his…

What to know about HPV and fertility

Human papillomavirus or HPV is the name for a group of viruses transmitted by skin-to-skin contact. HPV can affect fertility in both men and women. It is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI), but people can also acquire it in other ways. According to the United States’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),…

How Emotions Can Affect the Heart

A century ago, the scientist Karl Pearson was studying cemetery headstones when he noticed something peculiar: Husbands and wives often died within a year of one another. Though not widely appreciated at the time, studies now show that stress and despair can significantly influence health, especially that of the heart. One of the most striking…

What to know about laparoscopy for infertility

Laparoscopy is a surgical procedure that allows a doctor to see inside the body. When the procedure is part of fertility testing, the doctor is evaluating the structures of the reproductive system, including the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and uterus. Laparoscopy can help a doctor diagnose many conditions that affect fertility, such as: endometriosis blocked fallopian…