Grace Klaris
Three Words to Describe Grace: Hungry, quick, thoughtful
Expertise: qualitative research, global health, and where to get the best bite
Education: BA in Human Biology from Stanford University
Grace is a science writer for Materna Medical. She is a fourth-year medical student at the Warren Alpert Medical School (AMS) at Brown University and currently on a gap year to learn how to farm and pursue her interest in writing.
Grace earned her bachelor’s degree in Human Biology at Stanford University, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa. Before medical school, Grace was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study maternal health in Lucknow, India. She then returned to her hometown of New York City and spent two years working as the personal assistant to Dan Barber, chef and co-owner of Blue Hill and Blue Hill at Stone Barns. Outside of the hospital, Grace is a passionate writer. She is a co-editor and contributor to AMS’s student literary magazine, Plexus, and an unofficial disciple of Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones. For Materna Medical, Grace specializes in writing articles that translate complex medical conditions into useful resources for patients. Next year, she plans to apply into general surgery with the goal of becoming a pediatric surgeon.
Articles by Grace Klaris
Dyspareunia: Symptoms and Causes
Dyspareunia is a term used to describe any type of pain with sexual intercourse, affecting individuals of all ages and genders. It is usually a symptom of an underlying condition, and its diagnosis involves identifying the cause based on the location and timing of the pain. Discussing sexual health with a healthcare provider is important for overall wellbeing, as they can tailor a diagnostic workup, which may include a pelvic exam or other tests,...
Vaginal Dilators: What’s the Scoop?
Help relieve the symptoms of vaginismus: pain with sex, insertion of tampons, pelvic exams, or any other kind of wanted penetration. Pain with sex or any vaginal penetration can be difficult, but there are options. Vaginal dilators can be a great option when it comes to your journey to wellness. Practices in relaxation and expansion of the vaginal and pelvic muscles may help ease the symptoms. The vaginal dilator is meant to help with this process, as it is designed...
Vaginismus Overview
Do you dread going to the gynecologist because of traumatic pap smears? Does painful sex prevent you from achieving healthy intimacy with your partner? Do you find it impossible to insert a tampon? Or maybe you’ve been told you have an “overactive” or “tight” pelvic floor. If any of this resonates, you may be suffering from a condition called vaginismus, and you are not alone. Vaginismus is a common condition and can affect women of all ages, including trans...
Drop It To The Floor: Pelvic Floor 101
When it comes to muscles, we all know the heavy hitters. Most people can point to their biceps, abs, and hamstrings, and probably even demonstrate a few exercises that target each one. But how many times have you heard someone talk about strengthening their coccygeus (kok-sij-ee-uhs)? Do you remember ever learning about your levator ani muscles in school? Probably not. Although these muscles are present in people of all genders, those with female anatomy are more likely to suffer...
How to Relax Your Pelvic Floor
If anyone’s ever told you, “Just relax!” in response to stress, you know how, well, stressful those instructions can be. Indeed, figuring out how to “relax” when we are in a tense state can feel impossible, unless explicit instructions are given. Now, imagine you are told to relax muscles you didn’t even know existed. This is the reality for approximately 1 in 3 women in the US who will experience some form of pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) in their...
