Our Bodies, Our Blog - Page 2 of 203

A Call for Women Who Experience Pain with Sex and for Health Care Providers Who Treat Them

By Guest Contributor | June 15, 2018

by Marta Milkowska

My name is Marta Milkowska and I am a graduate student at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. I am working on a project aimed to better understand the problem of pain during sex – something experienced by many women. This summer, with support from Our Bodies Ourselves and the Harvard Kennedy School’s Women in Public Policy Program, I am seeking interviews with individuals who fall into one of the following three categories:

Women ages 16 to 35 who experience pain during … More

A Message About the Future of Our Bodies Ourselves

By OBOS | April 2, 2018

Earlier this year, OBOS held a retreat to determine our future. We came to the painful conclusion that we don’t have the resources and infrastructure to continue our main programs using paid staff. Instead we will transition to a volunteer-led 501(c)3 that will mainly advocate for women’s health and social justice. More

Religion-Restricted Healthcare and its Effects on Reproductive Health Needs

By Guest Contributor | March 20, 2018

by Rebekah Rollston

In my last year of medical school, I began looking into residency programs in obstetrics and gynecology. My first interview of the season was at a Catholic-affiliated hospital.

As the daughter of a religion scholar and professor, I was already familiar with the stance of the Catholic Church on reproductive healthcare. I knew that Catholic hospitals follow a set of ethical guidelines that prohibit doctors from providing abortions, contraception, tubal ligations, vasectomies, and infertility services, and that patients seeking these services are generally referred … More

Faith, Not Contraception, at the Heart of Trump’s Family Planning Funding

By Amie Newman | February 28, 2018

Under the Trump administration, Title X, the federal family planning program, plans to prioritize funding for abstinence and faith-based family planning according to the announcement finally released last week. More

Safe and Supported: Inside the DIY Abortion Movement

By Guest Contributor | February 5, 2018

As abortion becomes harder to access, more and more women are taking matters into their own hands with self-managed abortion—buying abortion pills on the internet and using them without medical supervision. More

What Have We Learned From the Survivors of Larry Nassar?

By Amie Newman | February 1, 2018

The hundreds of Larry Nassar abuse survivors who bravely revealed themselves and bared their pain for the world to see have done their part. Now it’s time for society and institutions to do theirs. More

Why One Montana County Wants A “Crackdown” On Pregnant Women

By Amie Newman | January 18, 2018

The Big Horn County Attorney General’s office is calling on pregnant women to “self-report” themselves to the sheriff’s office if they use alcohol or non-prescribed drugs. More

The Sad State of Sexual Health Education in Physician Training

By Guest Contributor | January 12, 2018

The average medical school student, over the course of 4 years, receives just 3-10 hours of sexual health education. Here’s why we need to do better. More

two young black women, one has her head on the other's shoulder. both looking into the camera.

Will This Black Mother’s Death Spark the Change We Need?

By Amie Newman | January 3, 2018

Black women in the U.S., regardless of income level or education level, are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy and childbirth complications than white women. More

Putting Health First: The Global Business of International Commercial Surrogacy

By OBOS | December 28, 2017

OBOS has long been known for calling attention to women’s health concerns that are overlooked due to financial profit, insensitivity or simple ignorance. One recent example is international commercial surrogacy, which has grown into a global business. More