Planned Parenthood

Patient Care:

• 1.1: Approach the care of patients as a cooperative endeavor, integrating patients’ concerns and ensuring their health needs are addressed.

Abortion–when people hear this word, their minds tend to automatically think pro-life vs pro-choice. However, this is not a dichotomous subject and by putting it in these boxes we force society to become polarized. Unfortunately, that is the case in the state of Ohio and throughout the nation. In Ohio, there are only two centers that provide safe medical and surgical abortions, one in Columbus and the other in the Cleveland area. During my third year OBGYN rotation, I had the opportunity to go to the Columbus Planned Parenthood to further understand the process of getting an abortion.

Throughout the day I was able to follow a patient through the initial workup, which included information about all their options and a transvaginal ultrasound to estimate gestational age. On element that I found surprising was that the state requires certain questions be asked, such as do you want to see the ultrasound picture, and do you want to hear the heartbeat? I do not understand why it was a requirement to ask these questions. These questions feel coercive and almost cast a shroud of guilt on the patient. Watching the women appear deflated after answering these questions was just heartbreaking.

There is immense amount of stigma when it comes to abortion and it can follow patients even when they’re in a safe space, like Planned Parenthood. That day I saw a patient who was interested in an abortion and was very emotionally distraught about being at Planned Parenthood. Her eyes were puffy, and her face was red as if she had been crying for hours. Her arms were wrapped around herself, as if to protect herself from something. She did not disclose her story to us, only that she had never expected to be here. She states that she would go to her regular OBGYN after the medical procedure and tell her provider that she had a miscarriage, instead of an abortion. Even though I did not agree that she should lie to her primary OBGYN, I respected her decision. There was no way for me to fully understand all of the nuances of her situation and I trusted that she was doing what she believed to be best. At the end of that encounter, I understood what she was protecting herself from, society.

Our personal experiences, both big and small, have a lasting impact on each and everyone of us. These experiences shape who were are and how we see the world. The accumulation of all of us and our experiences dictates our society, therefore we all have the power to change our society. My time at planned parenthood showed me the importance of women maintaining reproductive independence. It is imperative that physicians show support to this vulnerable patient population and guide them like they would any other patient–providing all of the possible options and letting them make their own informed decisions.

Goals/Plan:

1. Learn more about the opinion of pro-life.
   •  Read Unplanned: The Dramatic True Story of a Former Planned Parenthood Leader’s Eye-Opening Journey Across the Life Line by Abby Johnson
     • Note: when I was searching for a book to read on this issue, I noticed an alarming similarity between many of the books–the majority were written by male authors. For some reason, this fact made me uncomfortable because I got a sense that men were trying to dictate what women could do with their bodies. It wasn’t until I specifically searched for a female author on pro-life did I finally find one.
2. Learn more about the state laws about abortion access.
   • After I match, I will take the time to sit down and research that states abortion laws.
3. Go to a residency program that provides adequate abortion training.
   • On the interview trail, ask residents about their program’s family planning training.