Category: OB/GYN

How can we decrease maternal mortality for Black reproductive-aged people?

The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) signed into law by President Biden on March 11 provides direct relief to those impacted by COVID-19. Additionally, it could benefit low-income pregnant and postpartum individuals. The ARPA includes prov…

Don’t push harsh health care realities under the rug

On a recent call with a small health organization in rural Uganda, I asked the director about the C-section rate in the community. In some private maternity centers, this procedure is performed far more often than one might expect. I’ve learned t…

An organizational solution to lactation support for women physicians

In a previous post, I recognized lactation support for women physicians as an equity issue. Many of the women physicians I’ve interviewed have identified returning to work while breastfeeding as a major challenge and a major source of stress. Providing…

Let’s talk about vanishing twin syndrome

This letter serves to provide my story for other women who may experience vanishing twin syndrome (VTS) and the providers that care for them, especially given how common VTS is and will continue to be. For the folks who are either physicians or becomin…

A nurse shares her story of sexual assault [PODCAST]

“I am a nurse who has worked at a rural hospital. My husband is a board-certified family medicine doctor. In the fall of 2020, I was raped by my massage therapist. I know that everyone has an opinion of what they would do in that situation, and I…

Institute policies to proactively support physicians who are breastfeeding

I’ve been speaking with women physicians about the top challenges they face today. I’ve learned there are many—which honestly didn’t surprise me, given that 48 percent of women physicians report burnout symptoms (compared with 37 percent of their male …

This physician is done with being silent about women’s rights

When I was a 13-year-old freshman in high school, I joined the basketball team. I had always stood out, which I tried to convince myself was a great trait that made me unique and an individual. However, when I played sports, I felt alive. I had a coach…

Hypertension is killing pregnant mothers. Blood pressure monitoring can help.

Hypertensive disorders with onset during pregnancies are among the leading causes of maternal and infant mortality and morbidity in the U.S. and can have far-reaching consequences for the long-term health of the mother and child. In Dr. Jerome Adams’ r…

My experience as a clinical research subject

I am sure I am not alone when I vaguely recall receiving a letter or a leaflet in the mail recruiting subjects for clinical research, giving it little or no thought, then walking directly from the mailbox to the recycling bin the way we all have during…

Infertility and the physician journey [PODCAST]

“I am a medical doctor—a hospitalist working in an environment with many talented professionals. We share our knowledge and our approach to medicine with one another in ways that profoundly affect our patients and other personnel in the hospital….