Merette Khalil, an Egyptian doula, has spoken out regarding an epidemic of obstetric violence in Egypt’s maternal health system. Khalil cites existing scientific literature which describes obstetric violence as ranging “from the denial of the comfort of a companion of … Continue reading
I am struck by what health care disparities and the lived experiences of postpartum patients mean for implementation of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology’s new guidelines on postpartum care. These guidelines valuably refocus the medical establishment’s focus on … Continue reading
Over at bioethics.net, bioethicist Keisha Ray addresses the maternal health disparities experienced by black women, in particular. In her blog, “BLACK WOMEN ARE DYING IN DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBERS DURING AND AFTER GIVING BIRTH AND NOT EVEN CELEBRITY SERENA WILLIAMS IS SAFE” … Continue reading
Maternal mortality is a basic public health measure. It is also one of the many health outcomes on which the United States ranks much lower than other comparably developed nations. As per Ann Simmons’ superb article on the subject of … Continue reading
For our first in our new Feminist Bioethics Scholar Spotlight Series we are thrilled to feature Desiree Valentine, PhD, who is currently an Assistant Professor in the philosophy department at Marquette University. Read on to learn more about Desiree, her … Continue reading
We’re pleased to present the table of contents and abstracts from the latest issue of IJFAB: International Journal of Feminist Approaches to Bioethics. For the full issue, see University of Toronto Journals. Dirk Lafaut & Gily Coene, “Autonomy Without Borders? … Continue reading
A new study from Oxford University finds that the slightly elevated risk of breast cancer due to use of hormonal birth control pills extends across all forms of hormonal birth control. While earlier findings showing a similar increased risk were … Continue reading
It is perhaps well known that of the 27 members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, only two of them are women. A recent report from NPR shows that this is not a problem unique to the United States. … Continue reading
“The way police is killing black men is the way doctors are killing black women… but y’all are NOT ready for that conversation tho.” –Dime, MPH Like many medical professionals, when I read this Tweet (above), I was hurt and … Continue reading
A recent article by Kimberly Seals Allers discusses how COVID-19 safety restrictions related to giving birth and breastfeeding could potentially disproportionately harm black and Native American women. Photo courtesy of Women’s E-News Some hospitals are now classifying not only family … Continue reading
Elizabeth Ferries-Rowe (MD; MS Medical Ethics) is Chief of Service in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Eskenazi Health and has worked to expand Eskenazi’s Centering Pregnancy program. It is hardly breaking news that the United States is in … Continue reading
In positive bioethics news, a UN report has found that more women and children survive today than at any other point in history. Since 2000, child deaths have been reduced by nearly half and maternal deaths by over one-third. This … Continue reading
