The Politics of Reproductive Health

by Brooke Landry

Answering the question: why do women become surrogates, and what are the implications of surrogacy and the fetal bond, I dove into literature that provided personal accounts, analytical data, and objective statistics to summarize the general tone and reality of that question. While a lot of my sources included research papers with distinct yet related questions tied to emotional wellbeing and connections of surrogate, baby, and intended family, there was one noteworthy source that I used that opened up the question, allowing me to understand the narrative told of the sacrifice and unnaturalness that surrogacy entails.

This project asks: How can midwifery serve as a solution to improve the birthing experiences of Black women by addressing the healthcare disparities including their high mortality rate?

By Destinee Marsh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFkC2j-a4ro&feature=youtu.be

by Riya Doshi

The eugenics movement has impacted many aspects of American culture and legislation, especially in the medical field. Between the 1920s and 1970s, the nation’s medical providers carried out tens of thousands of forced sterilizations targeting women of color, disabled women, and low-income women. Such procedures continue to occur, demonstrating the need for a clear policy-based solution. To investigate this topic, I created a podcast centered around the following question: how do attitudes towards sterilization differ for Black and Latina women in the United States when compared to those of white women? The podcast provides a detailed history of forced hysterectomies in the United States, contrasting such procedures with the push for access to sterilization from white women.

Phoebe White
December 2020

For my research project, I wanted to understand the effects that a doula has on a person’s experience of pregnancy, birth and post-partum. To begin, I explored the role of a doula and the limitations to their practice. I further researched a variety of studies that attempted to record the impact that a doula has on pregnancy and birth in a quantitative way. Lastly, I did some of my own research. To understand what the next generation of mothers knew about doulas and if they had any thoughts on using one in the future, I interviewed a dozen women in their twenties who reported that they believed they would consider pregnancy in the next five to ten years. I was also able to interview a doula about her training, experience and knowledge.

“Hagar Rising” by Sarah Strassberg

Sarah’s podcast was featured on the premier episode of Vandy Vox, a podcast showcasing the best of student-produced audio at Vanderbilt University.

Episode 1 – “Hagar Rising” by Sarah Saxton Strassberg

By Rhea Harsoor

By Saily Lowry

https://marsaililowry.wixsite.com/globalprenatalcare

By Ben Lackner

Birthing While Black website, by M. El-rifai

Zika posters gallery