Female Gastroenterologist in NYC

• Hormones: Hormones like estrogen and progesterone shift how your gut moves and how sensitive you feel to pain. Which is why bloating, constipation, diarrhea, or reflux can flare up around your period, pregnancy, or menopause.
• Anatomy: The female colon tends to have more twists and turns, which can slow stool movement and contribute to constipation.

Because of these patterns, a female gastroenterologist may better understand how GI issues appear in women. Many patients also find it easier to discuss these concerns with one.

• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): IBS causes abdominal pain and changes in bowel habits. It is more common in women, especially from the teen years through midlife. Women often have IBS with constipation, while men are more likely to have IBS with diarrhea.
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): IBD includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Rates are similar in men and women, but women's symptoms flare around periods and are more likely to have low iron levels.
• Gallstone disease: Women are twice as likely as men to get gallstones, especially during the pre-pregnancy years. Symptoms can include nausea or discomfort that feels like menstrual cramps, rather than the typical right-sided abdominal pain.
• Constipation: Chronic constipation occurs twice as often in women, often due to differences in pelvic anatomy, hormonal changes, and a slower-moving colon.
• Bowel incontinence: Loss of bowel control is more common in women, especially following childbirth.

Yes, stress impacts women's digestive health. It acts as a trigger for conditions like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Short-term stress may cause diarrhea or nausea. Chronic stress can worsen IBS symptoms, including bloating and abdominal pain. Anxiety and depression are more commonly diagnosed in women and are established risk factors for IBS.

Source: Marano et al., 2025 — "Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Hallmark of Psychological Distress in Women?" (Life, MDPI)

Reach out to a GI specialist if you have:

• Blood in your stool or black, tarry stools (these can signal bleeding in your digestive tract)
• A noticeable change in your usual bowel habits (frequency, loose or hard stools, consistency or timing)
• Unexplained weight loss
• Abdominal pain that doesn’t go away or keeps getting worse
• Trouble swallowing, frequent regurgitation, or new reflux symptoms that happen several times a week

Even if you have experienced symptoms like constipation or bowel incontinence for years, do not assume they are simply part of being a woman. Consult a gastrointestinal specialist for an accurate diagnosis and a personalized treatment.

You can expect a patient-centered approach, with attention to women's specific concerns (hormonal changes, pregnancy, or menopause), and a physical evaluation (abdominal observation, palpation, auscultation). Your provider will recommend tests to aid in diagnosis (blood work, stool analysis, X-rays, endoscopy, or colonoscopy) and will discuss the results with you to create a collaborative treatment plan.