What the Overturning of Roe vs. Wade Means for Future Physicians
This past week’s overturning of Roe vs. Wade has been a devastating blow to the efforts of legalizing abortion nationwide and to the people who have been stripped of their bodily autonomy. For many physicians and aspiring physicians such as myself, this supreme court decision forces impossible choices in terms of how they can take care of patients while simultaneously working under an administration and keeping the “do no harm” Hippocratic oath. Abortion practices have been around for a long time (since the BCs, seriously), a lot due to misinformation on effective and safe contraceptive methods and have resulted in numerous home remedies, over the counter abortion pills, and more. But one of the main campaigns for the criminalization of abortion that has eventually led to this past week’s events was championed by, you guessed it, physicians themselves. During the 19th century, physicians in the U.S. had yet to have the overwhelmingly powerful hand in healthcare as they do now; seeking to establish and standardize the profession as respectable, the newly formed American Medical Association (AMA) and “father of gynecology” Horatio Robinson Storer sought to eliminate abortion practices on the ground of morality (highly recommend looking him up and reading about it). His role as a medical authority prompted mass influence, resulting in anti-abortion laws and increased back-alley abortions.
“Therefore, physicians, in their pursuit of seeking establishment, have massively contributed to a narrative that shames those who do not want or cannot have a child.”
Therefore, physicians, in their pursuit of seeking establishment, have massively contributed to a narrative that shames those who do not want or cannot have a child. In a country where the majority of food insecure households are led by BIPOC single moms, physicians must take the active steps towards removing institutional barriers for people to have their own bodily autonomy. What does this mean for current and future physicians? It means that they must accurately analyze and utilize role that they assume, and that their illusion of authority should not come at a cost to patients. It is too easy for physicians to develop a large ego. In women’s health especially, there is simply not enough information, and if there is, it is heavily filtered and biased through patriarchal lenses. Even the invention of the vibrator was rumored to have originated in the Victorian era because physicians needed a less tiresome way of giving “hysterical” woman a “pelvic massage” to loosen them up (although this rumor is highly contested, and the idea that women at the time are that clueless is sexist in itself, but you get the point) (Feltman, pg. 114). Physicians have used and used their professional role for progressing certain beliefs around morality and “playing God” in society.
But this is not to antagonize physicians. Many physicians are already advocating for reproductive rights and were devastated to see the news of the overturning of Roe vs. Wade. Doctors everyday must take on the societal responsibility of navigating the fine lines of each patient’s life, whether that means deciding the therapy of a patient with fatal cancer or deciding instantly how to restore vitals of a patient in the ER. Their duty in minimizing death and low quality of life comes with the responsibility of holding an extremely influential place in society. Therefore, their understanding of their influence is imperative. There are many doctors out there who preach anti-abortion, yet internally blame their patients that are single moms for not being “more responsible”. There is a systemic issue with how anti-abortion morality has infused within healthcare leaders and practices - and this must be changed.
As an aspiring physician myself, I take the anger and injustice I feel and witness now to push me to become a doctor that understands that advocating for basic human rights is a fundamental part of the job description. I think the next generation of future physicians must better understand the history of our biased ways of practice and act upon it in a way that does not put people in danger or feel guilty for doing human things, like sex and everything around it.
My heart goes out to the female, trans, nonbinary people, and anyone whose bodily autonomy has been taken away and are struggling at this point in time. For current and future physicians, we must continue to take action and not sit idly by. The world needs it now more than ever.
Source:
Feltman, R. (2022). Been there, done that: A rousing history of sex. Bold Type Books.
