How OPT Sexual and Reproductive Health is Shaped by Israeli Forces

How OPT Sexual and Reproductive Health is Shaped by Israeli Forces

In “SRH in Palestine: A Medical Student’s Experience in Health Education,” Duha Shelah, a medical student at An-Najah National University, explains the strengths and weakness in sexual reproductive health care in Palestine. Shelah has worked as a volunteer health educator for the Palestinian medical Relief Society since 2020, working with communities in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Surprisingly, the majority of Palestinian women receive adequate antenatal care and had a skilled health staff at livebirths. However, a lot of the research on Palestinian reproductive and sexual health is incomplete, especially on menopause, preconception, and psychosocial services. Shelah found that the Israeli involvement in Occupied Palestinian Territories, and the imposition of closures and military checkpoints, restricts access to medical facilities. Therefore, sexual and reproductive health is heavily impacted by times of heightened violence, such as the 2014 bombing of the Gaza strip. Moreover, between 1999 and 2002, home births grew by over 20% due to increased Israeli military presence. Shelah argues that...
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Why Bringing Back Midwives is Vital During the Pandemic

Why Bringing Back Midwives is Vital During the Pandemic

In “Midwives can alleviate the maternal health crisis. Here’s how,” The Hill reporters Lauren K. Hall and Elise Amez-Droz argue that bringing back midwives is an essential maternal health care initiative. Right now, the United States has the worst maternal mortality rate of developed nations and has a host of issues threatening delivery care. Medicaid covers 42% of births a year in the United States, but its poor reimbursement rates incentivize providers to opt out of the program. Because of low provider pay and COVID-19 overwhelming hospitals, 7 million Americans live in areas with limited access to maternity care, putting their health in danger. Hall and Amez-Droz argue that the United States should remove regulations to midwives practicing autonomously by splitting Medicaid reimbursement for birthing care, making it easier for non-medical providers to cooperate, and roll back some licensing laws around midwifery. Black mothers, who face the highest rate of maternal mortality in the United states, are increasingly seeking midwives...
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Thinking About Medication Abortion? 5 People Share Their Stories

Thinking About Medication Abortion? 5 People Share Their Stories

In the light of excessive anti-abortion laws being passed across the United States, Vogue aims to highlight a major option for safe abortions: abortion pills. Medication abortion, which involves taking mifepristone and misoprostol 48 hours apart to empty the uterus, is not often talked about in the media. Vogue spoke to 5 people who chose to have a medication abortion over a surgical one, hoping to share their experiences with those who may be wondering what to do. Mia, a 34-year-old who was frightened of COVID-19 exposure in 2020, opted for a medical abortion in the comfort of their home. Jen had a failed vacuum aspiration and used medication abortion to finally eliminate an unwanted pregnancy. Claire had a medication abortion at 16 years old in her boyfriend’s house, too scared to tell her parents what she was doing. Alina and Amy both recalled fearing going to Planned Parenthood and being picketed by anti-abortion protesters, so they wanted to terminate...
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