As a mother with COVID-19, I faced stigma and shame

Listen to Sara Edmond from the Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System read her essay about her experience giving birth with a positive COVID-19 diagnosis.

Show Notes

Childbirth can be an extremely stressful time in any period. Imagine delivering a baby during a global pandemic, just hours after testing positive for COVID-19 despite taking public health precautions.

In this episode of the Narrative Matters podcast, Sara Edmond talks about testing positive for COVID-19 shortly before the birth of her daughter, and facing suspicion and stigma from her providers as a result. 

Edmond, a clinical psychologist at the Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, and an associate research scientist in the Department of Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine, talks about why it’s so important not to “blame” COVID-19 patients for their diagnosis and instead support them.

Following an interview, Edmond reads her essay “As A Mother With COVID-19, I Faced Stigma And Shame.”

What is Health Affairs Narrative Matters?

Personal essays from the front lines of care