Maternity and Birthing
Holding Pregnant Women and Providers to a Dangerous, Unattainable Standard
by Miriam Pérez, radicaldoula.com
May 22, 2012 - 8:00am (Print)
There is a disturbing trend on the rise in the U.S., one that crosses into many arenas — from legislation to insurance policy to our judicial system to the way individuals interact with their medical providers. The trend? Making women responsible for healthy birth outcomes and jailing them when they don't meet this unattainable standard.
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Pregnancy Depression Is Real, And Women Like Me and Bei Bei Shuai Need Help, Not Jail
by Robin Marty, RH Reality Check
May 18, 2012 - 11:25am (Print)
If not for the intervention of my own doctor, I could have been Christine Taylor or, even more frightening, Bei Bei Shuai.
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Data Show Maternal Deaths Continue to Decline Worldwide
by Jessica Mack
May 18, 2012 - 8:58am (Print)
Last week the UN released its latest estimates on global maternal deaths, just two years after the last figure. From 1990 to 2010, they found, the number of women dying from pregnancy- and childbirth-related causes worldwide dropped from 543,000 to 287,000, a near-fifty percent reduction in fatalities.
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In All the Debate About Breastfeeding, Where Is the Support For Mothers?
by Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health
May 13, 2012 - 11:32am (Print)
In all the debate about breastfeeding and parenting, I know some choices will work for some mothers and not for others. But it is critical that as a society, we have the policies and infrastructure in place to support those decisions.
Unchain My Heart: The Shackling of Pregnant Women in Prison Needs to Stop
We thought passing our antishackling bill would be easy. After all, who would want to be seen arguing that pregnant women should wear chains?
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New Hampshire's HB 217 May (Inadvertently?) Make Infertility Services in the State Scarce
by Robin Marty, RH Reality Check
May 1, 2012 - 2:20pm (Print)
A change in a proposed bill in New Hampshire may leave infertile women and couples seeking in-vitro fertilization with few options.
Follow Robin Marty on Twitter, @robinmarty
In Malawi, Banda’s Succession to Presidency Could Dramatically Improve Women's Lives
by Jessica Mack
April 24, 2012 - 9:55am (Print)
With all due respect to the late President Bingu, his death opened a rare window for reform Malawi, and golden opportunity – especially for Malawi’s women. Joyce Banda is a widely respected and heralded champion for women’s rights and health, and has never been shy to speak her mind about it.
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Does the Right Actually Take Motherhood Seriously?
by Amanda Marcotte, RH Reality Check
April 16, 2012 - 8:06am (Print)
The past week had a lot of conservative posturing about the importance of motherhood. But if you look at their policy ideas -- especially around reproductive rights -- you'll realize they don't think much of motherhood after all.
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Nebraska Governor Vetoes Bill to Provide Prenatal Care, Uses Planned Parenthood Scare to Try to Maintain Veto
by Robin Marty, RH Reality Check
April 15, 2012 - 7:07pm (Print)
Once again we will get to see which anti-choice Republicans hate more, Planned Parenthood or abortions.
Follow Robin Marty on Twitter, @robinmarty
Uganda: Pregnancy and Childbirth Mean Playing Russian Roulette With Women's Lives
by Jessica Mack
April 10, 2012 - 9:42pm (Print)
Last March, a landmark maternal health petition was filed in Uganda, aimed at holding the government accountable for the deaths of two women in childbirth. It garnered global media attention at the time, yet five months into the process momentum has stalled. When will it be time to women to take the front seat?
Follow Jessica Mack on Twitter, @fleetwoodjmack
