Overlooked is a podcast that tells powerful stories about women's health conditions which don't get enough attention. The conversation continues beyond the episode in our newsletter, where host and creator Golda Arthur gives you the backstory to what you hear on the episodes, additional links to go deeper on the topic, and updates on upcoming workshops and other news. Sign up below to get Overlooked delivered straight to your inbox.
When the ambulance becomes the delivery room
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Thank you for sharing this show - forward this newsletter to someone who wants to know more about maternity deserts, or needs a woman's health book recommendation. When a mom gives birth by the side of the road because she didn’t make it to the hospital in time, or when she gives birth in a moving ambulance - well, these are the kinds of stories that make the news. It’s shocking, and, I used to think, uncommon - I mean, that’s why it’s a headline, right? My guest on this episode says - hold up, it’s not that uncommon anymore, and is, in fact, a growing trend. Elizabeth Travis is a paramedic who’s studied and published on this topic. We talked about how ‘maternity deserts’ are growing in the US - there are areas where expectant moms have little or no access to obstetric care, and have to travel further out to get to a hospital. (An hour in a car when you’re in active labor? Yikes). Often, the most reliable support comes from calling 9-1-1: cue the headline news of paramedics delivering babies in moving ambulances. But right now, most medics get basic training in childbirth, Liz Travis says, and more training would allow them to feel competent and confident, which will end up being better for mom, better for baby and obviously better for the paramedic in that situation. We have critical care paramedics, so why not maternal care paramedics, she asks, and she makes a really solid argument for how EMS - emergency medical services - could be the missing piece in trying to support expectant moms in maternal care deserts.
Maternal care deserts are a huge and complex topic, and what I liked about this conversation with Liz is that this is a really practical and proactive idea. Nobody thinks that this issue is going to be solved easily or overnight, because of what’s driving the closure of hospitals - labor units have to be open 24/7 and are expensive to run, there’s a shortage of physicians in rural areas, there’s declining populations in these same regions, then there’s a whole other element of reimbursement, and the economics of the US healthcare system is complicated start to finish. But strengthening paramedic training seems like it’s a local-scale, practical solution to a seemingly larger-than-life, national issue. If you’re listening to Overlooked outside the US, are maternal care deserts an issue? For a deeper dive: -Learn more about Liz Travis here, and her published work on this topic is here. -The March of Dimes is an advocacy organization that collects data on maternity deserts - learn more here. What to listen to next: An Overlooked episode on cesarean sections - one of our most downloaded episodes this year. What else is going on: -Listener comments: I love hearing from listeners, and this comment on Instagram in response to the episode with Dr Jeremy Faust was super interesting - on the pain scale and being neurodivergent. -'Tis (almost) the season: If you’re looking to gift someone a thing this season that shows them that you get it - consider a book about women’s health. (Or hey maybe they don’t get it, and need to read more books about women’s health 😅). There are tons of books in this category now - some are unforgettable and some are shockingly boring. I’ve read my fair share, and made a list of my favorites/ most well-written/ most useful/ topic-based books. If a book lover is on your gift list, drop me a line and I’ll send you my recommended reads. -Teaching an audio storytelling class: Separately from Overlooked, I also teach a personal storytelling workshop, and my next one has been scheduled for January. If there's a story you've been wanting to tell in audio, but don't know how to start, this could be the class for you. Wishing you the best of health, Golda
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Overlooked: a women's health podcast
Overlooked is a podcast that tells powerful stories about women's health conditions which don't get enough attention. The conversation continues beyond the episode in our newsletter, where host and creator Golda Arthur gives you the backstory to what you hear on the episodes, additional links to go deeper on the topic, and updates on upcoming workshops and other news. Sign up below to get Overlooked delivered straight to your inbox.
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