Structural Racism & Mental Health
Does having an abortion increase someone’s risk of developing a mental health disorder?
No. There is no increased risk of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, PTSD or substance use disorders.
Out of every 100 couples in the US, about how many have difficulty becoming pregnant?
12 to 13
What does LARC stand for AND what is an example of a LARC method?
Long Acting Reversible Contraception
Intrauterine device (IUD)
Implant (Nexplanon)
Name one possible downside to long acting reversible contraceptives?
Not patient controlled, history of oppressive and coercive practices, specifically targeted at women of color including forced sterilization and LARC implantation
Name this federal grant program, which was created to provide funding for people to access basic family planning services, including contraception, cancer screenings, STI testing, and pregnancy counseling.
Title X
Fill in the blank. Survivors of ___ face increased risk of worsening mental health during pregnancy.
Intimate partner violence
What is the term used to describe the anticipated average number of births per woman over her lifetime AND what is the number of births needed per woman for a population to replace itself?
Total fertility rate (TFR), 2.1
Medication abortion in the US currently involves two kinds of pills: ______ & _____ which can both be safely taken at home and via telemedicine. Medication abortion makes up ____ % of abortions in the US.
mifepristone and misoprostol, 39
Fill in the blank: In a structured survey of more than 1000 patients undergoing abortion, the most frequently cited reason for seeking the procedure was _____________________.
having another child would interfere with the patient’s education, work, or ability to care for dependents.
The Berglas et al. article found that [ ___ level?] health departments were more likely to describe implementing abortion-related activities mandated by law, whereas [ ____] health departments helped facilitate linkage to abortion-related services in the community.
State, local
Do people regret having an abortion?
No. The main emotion people report feeling after an abortion is relief. One study found 99% of people did not regret their abortion 5 years later.
What are two factors that can result in fertility challenges or total infertility?
Stress, diabetes, malnutrition, substance use, history of STIs, certain cancers, exposure to toxins, some medications or treatments (e.g., chemotherapy)
What is one community that birth control has not been adequately tested in?
people who can cause pregnancy (men), people with overweight/obesity
Name one reason why we have issues measuring unintended pregnancies
1. Retrospective surveying of pregnant people after the completion of pregnancy.
2. Asks about desire which does not take into account factors that would prevent people from acting on those desires.
3. Measuring intent does not necessarily mean that once someone was pregnant, they were not happy about it
4. Pregnancy planning paradigm, assumption that planned pregnancies is “beneficial, ideal, and possible”
Name one facilitator or barrier to abortion-related activities that is broadly discussed in the Berglas et al. article as impacting public health departments.
Political climate, funding, departmental leadership
Fill in the blank. ____ of ____ are more likely to face infertility, less likely to receive care, and less likely to benefit from infertility treatment when they do get care.
Women of color
Fill in the blanks: ________ ___________ _________ refers to interventions in which pregnancy is initiated through the use of external means; __ _____ ____________ is the most common infertility treatment.
Assisted reproductive technology (ART), in vitro fertilization (IVF)
Aspiration and D&E procedures are both called “_______ abortions” even though they don’t involve ________.
Bonus: Receiving an abortion via any method is ______ x safer than carrying a pregnancy to term.
surgical/surgery
Bonus: 14
What year was the term "reproductive justice" coined by the Black women who started the movement?
Bonus: Attempt a paraphrased definition
1994
“a grassroots political movement and analytic framework that focuses on undoing all forms of oppression and fostering reproductive equity”
These types of hospitals (form of hospital ownership) are a growing trend in the American healthcare system, increasing the possibility that a patient may face restrictions in reproductive care offered due to someone’s beliefs.
Religious health care or Catholic hospitals
How do we explain the relationship between poverty and abortion?
Most people access birth control through insurance and that coverage usually comes from their employer. Most people pay out of pocket for abortion services. Additionally, if someone is a Medicaid recipient the Hyde and Helms amendments limit their access to abortion care.
What is one gap in insurance coverage for infertility treatments?
For private: Only 16 states require private insurers to cover some type of infertility treatment; some states only offer coverage for the female partner or coverage after a certain # of years of infertility; unclear guidance regarding for LGBTQ+ couples if diagnosis of infertility is required
For public: Public or federal health insurance plans do not cover infertility treatments (except New York, which covers up to 3 cycles of fertility drugs through Medicaid); some states cover diagnostic services but not treatment
Name one tactic to improve contraceptive counseling or access in the US.
OTC birth control, pharmacist-provided birth control, telemedicine, shared decision making model
Name any one of the three Black-led organizations working to address institutional reproductive oppression.
SisterSong: Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective, the Reproductive Justice Action Collection, or Black Women Birthing Justice
Bonus points for others!
Generally, what is a TRAP law? How do they affect abortion access?
TRAP = Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers
Extreme/costly/unnecessary restrictions placed on abortion providers and providing facilities, which are not applied to other equally risky procedures. Vary widely, but may include: physician and hospital requirements, gestational limits, public funding, waiting periods, parental involvement, refusals, and state-mandated counseling. Claim to be in the name of “patient safety.” Enforced at state level.