Category Archives: Practice Integration

Reflections from the Road: Traveling to Provide Abortions in Underserved Areas

I got up early and caught the first flight towards New Mexico. Up high above the desert, I could trace the lines of old streams merging into rivers along the valley floor now only carvings in the beautiful and stark landscape. In awe of the slow but behemoth power of water, I pondered what mark I could possibly leave here. Perhaps, helping one woman at a time to reach her goals, is enough to leave a lasting impact in a community over time.
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Reflections from a rural APC provider

As an Advanced Practice Clinician (APC) who has worked in women’s health for my entire career, I have progressed from community clinic volunteer in my 20s, to RN in my 30s, finally reaching my original goal of women’s health NP in my 40s. Planned Parenthood sponsored my NP education and I have worked for them for almost 25 years in various California health centers. Part of working for Planned Parenthood has always been caring for women during the termination of pregnancies. In my 50s I began offering medication abortions and now, in my 60s, I am providing first trimester aspiration abortions. It has been a long and sometimes winding road.

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Protest rally against HB2 and SB1 by flickr user mirsasha used under CC License 2.0 by TEACH.

An unexpected path to provision

Photo Credit: Protest rally against HB2 and SB1 by flickr user mirsasha used under CC License 2.0 by TEACH.

With nervous optimism, two years ago my husband and I decided to move to Texas to be closer to family. At the time, I was providing full-spectrum Family Medicine, including abortion services, at a residency program in Northern California.  On paper, it was the perfect gig, but at times I felt stuck in the herd. After all, in San Francisco, the Family Planning mecca that it is, many of my close friends were also abortion providers, and we often vied for the same shifts at local clinics. In Texas, things were different. Stigma and legal restrictions were discouraging many physicians from even mentioning abortion. In spite of some timidity and with my husband’s support, I saw this as an opportunity to put my expertise to work. I wanted to provide abortions for the women of Texas.

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Expanding reproductive options in Wyoming

I am a family doctor in Wyoming.

“Right to Life” ads appear in my local paper on a daily basis.  Operation Save America travels through our town and stages protests. There is one Planned Parenthood in the entire state and it does not offer abortion services. Women who live in the eastern part of the state travel to nearby states for abortion services. Those who live in the western half of Wyoming travel 150 miles to my town.

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