Metro Area Advanced Practice Healthcare

Metro Area Advanced Practice Healthcare Unique reproductive/primary health services in the DC area. Queer/woman/veteran owned small biz.

Mainstream menopause care wasn't built for trans bodies. Ours starts with you.Estrogen, testosterone, or post-surgical —...
05/23/2026

Mainstream menopause care wasn't built for trans bodies. Ours starts with you.

Estrogen, testosterone, or post-surgical — your menopause looks different, and your care should too. Trans women on estrogen may not experience traditional menopause but still need bone, cardiovascular, and cancer screening. Patients on testosterone may have suppressed ovarian function but still need pelvic and endometrial attention. Surgical menopause changes the long-term hormone picture entirely.

At MAAPH:
• Pronouns and names are consistent, every visit
• We ask before we assume — organs, hormones, goals
• Pelvic exams happen at your pace
• Bone, heart, and cancer screening built around the body you actually have

Read the full piece: https://metroarea.org/blog/trans-patients-and-menopause 👇

Nitrous oxide isn't for every procedure or every patient — here's how we figure out together if it's right for your visi...
05/19/2026

Nitrous oxide isn't for every procedure or every patient — here's how we figure out together if it's right for your visit.

What it's been used for at MAAPH: IUD insertions, endometrial biopsies, cervical procedures, and Pap smears for patients whose anxiety, vaginismus, or trauma history makes a standard Pap genuinely hard.

What we work through during the pre-procedure sedation consult: your medical history, current medications, anxiety history, the kind of procedure, and what would actually make the visit feel manageable for you.

Sometimes the plan lands at nitrous. Sometimes at TENS + a cervical block + a really thorough explanation of every step. Sometimes both. The combination is the point.

Comfort plans are not a one-size-fits-all checklist.

👇 metroarea.org/sedation-gynecology

S*x isn't supposed to hurt. Peeing isn't supposed to burn. UTIs aren't supposed to keep coming back forever.If any of th...
05/15/2026

S*x isn't supposed to hurt. Peeing isn't supposed to burn. UTIs aren't supposed to keep coming back forever.

If any of that started after your early 40s, the most likely cause has an unwieldy name and a straightforward fix: genitourinary syndrome of menopause, or GSM.

GSM affects between half and three-quarters of postmenopausal people. It's underdiagnosed and undertreated — partly because it's not part of the cultural shorthand for menopause, and partly because patients don't bring it up and providers don't ask.

The single biggest barrier to GSM treatment is patients not knowing it's a thing — or not knowing it's treatable.

At MAAPH: we listen first. Take a real history. Examine at your pace. Rule out other causes when needed. Discuss treatment options that fit your situation.

If anything sounded familiar, bring it up at your next visit. Your provider should take it seriously. We do.

👇 metroarea.org/blog/painful-sex-after-40-gsm-treatment

What nitrous oxide for IUD insertion actually feels like:Not "knocked out." Not IV sedation. You're awake, you can talk,...
05/12/2026

What nitrous oxide for IUD insertion actually feels like:

Not "knocked out." Not IV sedation. You're awake, you can talk, you can ask questions, you can stop if you need to. The cramping is still there — no medication makes pain disappear — but it doesn't take over your whole body. It's information you receive and let go.

The mask comes off and you're back to baseline within a few minutes.

If you've been dreading IUD insertion because of past experiences: this is different. You set the pace. We explain everything before we do it.

👇 metroarea.org/blog/what-to-expect-sedation-gynecology-appointment

05/09/2026

For most kinds of healthcare, insurance covers most of the cost. Abortion isn't most kinds of healthcare.

Most insurance plans don't cover it. The patient pays the full out-of-pocket cost — exactly when they can least afford it.

That's the gap CE Repro Fund fills. We provide direct financial assistance so a patient isn't paying several hundred dollars in cash for a procedure that for any other care would be a copay.

We're a 501(c)(3), every dollar is tax-deductible.

Donors fund what insurance won't 👇

cerepro.org/ab-donate

If it's been a while since your last Pap — like, *years* — you're not alone.Most people don't put off their Pap because ...
05/07/2026

If it's been a while since your last Pap — like, *years* — you're not alone.

Most people don't put off their Pap because they forgot. They put it off because of dread. A bad experience years ago, anxiety about the exam, trauma history, or just feeling rushed by a provider who didn't have time for them.

What we offer is different. Real comfort measures — nitrous oxide ($50, single-use), TENS therapy, heating pads, cervical blocks (no additional charge). A provider who explains everything before doing it. You set the pace.

If your last Pap was three years ago, you're still in the recommended window for most people. Five years? Ten? Fifteen? Still okay. Starting again is what matters — not the gap.

Comfort should be the baseline, not a luxury.

👇 metroarea.org/blog/been-putting-off-your-pap

Real talk: getting nitrous oxide for your procedure at MAAPH has one annoying step in front of it — a separate sedation ...
05/05/2026

Real talk: getting nitrous oxide for your procedure at MAAPH has one annoying step in front of it — a separate sedation consult with the clinician before the procedure day.

Yeah, we know. It's another appointment.

Here's why it exists. Comfort plans aren't a one-size-fits-all checklist. The consult is a real conversation — meds you're on, anxiety, your trip home, how nitrous is likely to land for you. We use it to build a plan that fits *you*, not a generic policy.

Sometimes it lands at "you'll want a friend to drive you." Sometimes "you're fine to drive yourself." Sometimes "let's tweak the combo." This is how we actually figure that out instead of guessing.

One extra appointment. That's the annoying part. The comfort on the other side is worth it.

👇 metroarea.org/blog/what-is-sedation-gynecology

Perimenopause: the years-long transition *before* menopause, where your hormones swing instead of declining. It can star...
05/01/2026

Perimenopause: the years-long transition *before* menopause, where your hormones swing instead of declining. It can start in your late 30s. And the symptoms get dismissed all the time.

You can't sleep past 3 a.m. Your brain fogs. You're newly anxious or mood-crashing. Your periods went weird. The last provider you saw said it's stress, said you're too young, said your labs were "normal." They would be — FSH and estradiol fluctuate so much in perimenopause that a single draw doesn't catch it.

We schedule extra time for perimenopause consultations because you can't sort this out in 10 minutes. Hormone therapy is one option among several — what makes sense depends on what you actually want.

In Kensington, MD or via telehealth in 12+ states.

👇 metroarea.org/blog/is-this-perimenopause-symptoms-that-get-dismissed

We've been quietly rolling this out, and now it's official: nitrous oxide is available at MAAPH for IUD insertions, endo...
04/28/2026

We've been quietly rolling this out, and now it's official: nitrous oxide is available at MAAPH for IUD insertions, endometrial biopsies, and other in-office procedures.

"Just take ibuprofen" isn't real medical advice. The fear of these procedures isn't irrational. We built something better: nitrous oxide, TENS therapy, heating pads, cervical blocks — real comfort measures, set up during your consultation.

Nitrous oxide medication and supplies are $50 — in addition to your usual procedure cost (insurance co-pay or otherwise). TENS, heating pads, and cervical blocks add nothing on top.

Comfort should be the baseline, not a luxury.

👇 metroarea.org/blog/nitrous-oxide-for-iud-insertion

09/15/2025

Ready to make a difference in the lives of people in your community? Join our board and help us ensure access to reproductive healthcare for ALL. Reach out to us here or through our email.

Address

3720 Farragut Avenue
Kensington, MD
20895

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+13012418181

Website

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