This last episode of American Dreams: Reproductive Justice is about the best practices for achieving healthy pregnancies and births, and that involves working together.
We spoke to Dr. Saraswathi Vedam with The Birth Place Lab, a division of the University of British Columbia. This lab conducts research and helps provide equitable access to reproductive care. As stated on their website, the lab focuses on four sections of reproductive care: person-centered measurement of equity, quality, and safety; (2) designing and implementing accountability tools and systems; (3) improving health professional education on anti-oppression, anti-racism, and cultural safety; and (4) expanding representation in the perinatal research and clinical workforce.
We also spoke to Rosanna Davis, the President of CAL Midwives. CAL Midwives is an association of licensed midwives who provide reproductive care to patients and fight for reproductive justice in the state of California.
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American Dreams: Reproductive Justice is co-executive produced and hosted by Erika Washington, powered by Make It Work Nevada. The podcast is co-executive produced, written, and edited by Carrie Kaufman of Overthinking Media LLC. Music by Wil Black of Black Gypsy Music, with The Flobots. Artwork by Brent Holmes.
What is American Dreams: Reproductive Justice?
As 2023 dawns, women in the U.S. look back on the last year and see one glaring issue: 2022 was the year their right to have an abortion was severely curtailed.
But many women did not have access to abortions even before the Dobbs decision. Women on Medicaid, in the same states that are outlawing abortion now. Women who live in rural areas. Women who don’t have access to good doctors, and good advice.
One thing the popular press doesn’t seem to talk about is how many women and trans men (anyone with a uterus) want to have children, but find that the systems as they are set up in this country mitigate against them.
You read that right: women want to have children, but don’t because it is so hard to do so.