American Physicians Roles

This article brings up the debate of weather a healthcare professional has the right to object contraceptives and should not involve themselves in medical practices they have moral qualms with, or give patients the access to all legal treatment no matter what that health professional’s moral qualms should be. This debate questions the balance of doctor-patient

The medical industrial complex (MIC) holds many influences in the care of women, especially poor marginalized women. MIC is simply a platform of the network among corporations that supply health care services and products to make money. Oparah and Bonaparte explain how the individual’s ability to pay determines the quality of care they receive (Oparah & Bonaparte, 2015, pg. 4). In relations to birthing, hospitals aren’t a place for an intimate connection between a woman that’s about to give birth and their newborns. It’s more of a time efficiency center where doctors (mainly white men) would purposely perform cesarean deliveries to not only save time, but to make a

Abortion policy has been shifting throughout American history as American views have simultaneously transitioned from more conservative to more liberal. Doctors, specifically regular physicians, have surprisingly guided the discussion surrounding abortion in the most influential way. Their power, in particular, their medical expertise, has allowed them to take hold of the issue and push against abortion from a medical stance. As a result of the change in traditionalistic views, the power the doctors held for a long time was taken by women, and abortion simultaneously became not an issue of health, but one questioning morality as well as a woman’s right to choose: pro-life and pro-choice. In America, abortion policy has transitioned from an issue of health and morality to one of women’s rights over time due to the power shifting from doctors to women as a result of modernization and the change in how Americans saw religion; this shift in turn impacting how the abortion issue’s sides are defined and how the issue is argued.

The battle for reproductive rights began well over a hundred years ago. At a time when families were producing more children than they could afford to feed, many women were seeking primitive forms of birth control and undergoing abortions. It was in the 1860s that a postal inspector turned politician named Anthony Comstock, in partnership with the Young Men’s Christian Association, set out on a crusade to condemn all forms of birth control and any kind of abortion by claiming they violated “anti-obscenity laws” (Baer). These men eventually succeeded and created the Comstock Laws in 1873 that prohibited all “sales, advertising, or information on birth control” (Baer).

The early twentieth century was a turning point in American history-especially in regards to the acquisition of women's rights. While the era was considered to be prosperous and later thought to be a happy-go-lucky time, in actuality, it was a time of grave social conflict and human suffering (Parish, 110). Among those who endured much suffering were women. As Margaret Sanger found out, women, especially those who were poor, had no choice regarding pregnancy. The only way not to get pregnant was by not having sex- a choice that was almost always the husband's. This was even more true in the case of lower-class men for whom, 'sex was the poor man's only luxury' (Douglas, 31). As a nurse who assisted in delivering

The paper introduces a sophisticated analysis of the maternity-related issues as well as childbearing policies in the USA. The American documentary “Born in the USA” serves as a material for the study. It is the first public television documentary to provide an in-depth look at childbirth in America. It offers a fascinating overview of birthing, beginning with the early days of our country when almost everyone knew of mothers or babies who died in childbirth. As medicine advanced, maternal and infant mortality rates dropped radically. Hospitals were soon promoted as the safe, modern way to have a baby. The film reveals some crucial specifications of pregnancy, giving birth to a child and raising an offspring in the United States. Specifically, it verifies a general assumption, according to which American obstetricians possess a worldwide recognition, due to their proficiency (Wagner, 2008, p. 4). Moreover, the paper reviews such issues as pregnancy

Roberts attempts to convince readers that reproduction is an important topic, especially for black individuals. She addresses it important because certain policies that are set to keep black women from having children but also because these same policies persuade people in believing that racial inequality is perpetuated by Black people themselves. Roberts wants readers to think about reproduction in a new way and realize that these policies not only affect Black Americans but also the very meaning of reproductive freedom.

The right to have children is understood in very different ways and people’s ethics and values are put to the test each and everyday when they find out they not only must take care of themselves but the lives of another human being. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted this statement regarding the right to bear children “men and women of full age, without any limitations to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and found a family”[1]. This concept has been viewed in multiple ways and according to ethical theorists; they agree that no rights are absolute. However, it is said that for women at least, there is a fundamental privilege to have children. The right to

The Roe v. Wade case in 1973 was an extremely controversial and sensitive debate for most people, although it had a significant impact on women’s rights today. This case gave women the constitutional right and privacy in regards to making their own medical decisions with abortions. Before this case, the majority of states within the United States did not allow legal abortions to be carried out unless the mother’s life was in jeopardy. Within this paper, the background story of Roe v. Wade, ethical issues, the implications on current health care policies and laws, factors that prompted the United States Supreme court to make their decision, the consequences of this case, and the result of the 2016 U.S. Supreme Court decision regarding the overturning of the Texas abortion restrictions will be further discussed.

The topic of sexual education and women’s reproductive health is one that draws very polarized opinions from individuals drawn into the discussion. The United States holds very strong beliefs about sex education and women’s reproductive health. Although statistics on sexually transmitted diseases (TDSHS, 2014) show that these beliefs are medically harmful, they are so completely ingrained in our culture that we choose to ignore the research that says otherwise. Our textbook does not cover sex education, but it does cover the topic of Reproductive Justice, which it defines as “…being able to have safe and affordable birthing and parenting options; reliable, safe and affordable birth control technologies; freedom from forced sterilization; and

On January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court, on the case of Roe v Wade, ruled to legalize abortion in all fifty US states. Forty two years after this decision, approximately 56 million abortions have been performed in the US alone and this number continues to climb drastically day to day. For some individuals, this number is simply not enough. For example, in her article, It Is Time to Integrate Abortion into Primary Care, Susan Yanow argues the case that abortion is here to stay. With this observation, she further believes that the procedure should be made more available to all women, and likewise, any physician should be easily allowed to perform abortions.

First, it is important to note that the historical experiences of Black women, and of women in general, also include lesbian and bisexual women of color. Second, it is critical that we examine the health care experiences of Black lesbians and bisexuals within a socioeconomic, political and cultural context. The mistreatment of Black women by medical institutions and professionals within the United States (U.S.) health care system is well documented: from the immoral medical experiments conducted on Black slaves, to the forced sterilization, and subpar

The modern world is in the midst of reconstructing gender roles; debates about contraception, reproductive freedom, and female inequality are contentious and common. The majority now challenges the long established assertion that women’s bodies are the eminent domain of patriarchal control. In the past, a woman’s inability to control her reproductive choices could come with ruinous consequences. Proponents of patriarchal control argue against reproductive independence with rhetoric from religious texts and with anecdotes of ‘better days,’ when women were subservient. Often, literature about childbearing fails to acknowledge the possibility of women being uninterested in fulfilling the role of motherhood.

Women make up just slightly over half the U.S population (US Census Bureau, 2010) and should not be even considered a part of a minority group. The female population should acquire the same equal research attention as men do, especially when it comes to health issues. The unavoidable, yet quite simple realities of breastfeeding, menstruation, menopause, along with pregnancy require special scrutiny from medical experts. Those medical specialties are generally referred as gynecologists or obstetrics, who focus on the exclusive needs of a female’s reproductive health throughout their lifespan. Historically, the health needs of women have been disregarded as well as their fundamental rights. However, over the past few decades, it has grabbed the media and the government’s attention causing some major changes in support of women’s rights and health care.

Throughout the course of history, the field of healthcare has always been in a state of flux; however, healthcare has also had one steady aspect and that is women have always been at a disadvantage when it comes to traversing the system. Women have and still do face many obstacles within the health care system. These obstacles include research androcentrism, medicalization, gender stereotyping, reproductive rights, differential treatment, and fertility issues, among others… These obstacles must be explored and analyzed in order to better help women navigate the healthcare system and to support women’s rights in the present and future.