Great event in Iowa

AAP organizer, Kathleen Lane, recently co-hosted this event in Iowa on silence, stigma and abortion. Follow the link for a report on the very timely and very needed conversation that happened.

Still a long way to go

I have written about telemedicine in my blog. I know it is not the answer to all of the access issues in rural health care. This article reminds me how far we have to go.

Solutions. And problems.

Greetings Allies! I have found two more articles to share with you. I am always on the lookout for inspiration and different ways to see our struggles and solutions regarding access to health care. The NY Times ran a great piece on lay health care workers making a difference in their community for pregnant women. What struck me in this blog was the way both live birth and pregnancy loss is being addressed. I often see women's experiences with pregnancy loss - abortion, still birth and miscarriage - completely ignored. It was inspiring to see a different solution.
Here in the US, there has been a lot of talk and legislative action around not using federal funds for Planned Parenthood. When we stop to think about the implications this has for rural women we cannot over look this question: where will women be able to access the services that were provided by PP clinics? Where?

Access to women's health care

It is so easy to get caught up in the hard lines drawn around women's health care and forget what we have gained from having increased technology and access to abortion, pre-natal and post natal care. This short article in the Atlantic Monthly captures this well. The author does a great job detailing what we have gained and what we stand to lose. In short- women's lives.
I also wanted to share this op-ed that points out the impact cutting and preventing services will have on rural women in NY. AZ is also dealing with threats to rural women's health care services to rural women.
I am hoping we can find other solutions and fight for these women and families who already have limited access to care.

Creative solutions to women in rural health

I came across this story while researching women's health in rural areas. While this story focuses on maternal and infant mortality in rural India, I was interested in the creativity they used not only to educate people but to process grief. Would love to hear your thoughts and your links to other stories.