In today’s episode, hosted by Evidence Based Birth® founder, Dr. Rebecca Dekker, along with Doctoral Candidate Tyler Jean Dukes, we talk about the five most surprising findings from compiling the EBB Abortion Research Resource Guide:

5) Research on the demographics of who has abortions as well as statistics on who supports/opposes abortion,

4) Historical research on the last time abortion was illegal in the U.S., and how the historical oppression of midwives relates to past campaigns against abortion,

3) Statistics on why so few people view adoption as a viable "alternative" to abortion,

2) History (past and present) of officials trying to "protect" fetuses while abusing pregnant people in immigrant detention centers, and

1) the funding and goals of crisis pregnancy centers, which outnumber abortion clinics in the U.S. threefold.

The Abortion Research Resource Guide that we discuss in this podcast is available at: ebbirth.com/birthjustice.

The Birth Justice page also features a video that our team recorded, explaining how the overturning of Roe v. Wade impacts our audience of childbearing families and birth workers, what we decided to do in response, and our boundaries for engaging with the public on this topic.

TRIGGER WARNING: in this topic we will be talking openly about abortion research and history, which can be a very triggering topic. If, while listening to this podcast or reading the transcript, you feel your heart rate going up, or feel foggy, angry, intensely emotional, or unable to shake a past memory, it could be that you are experiencing a trigger. A trigger is a sign that you need to turn inward to process these emotions, and not outward to lash out at us. Some tips for inward processing include journaling, going outside, meditating, praying, breathing, holding and being physically close to a loved one, or talking with a trusted friend or counselor.

We will also not shy away from talking about the history of racism, genderism, and how these topics inter-relate with abortion. We will also use a mix of gendered and gender-inclusive language, depending on the era of when the research was published and the population that was being studied. Other topics discussed include:

· Maternal mortality
· Slavery
· Abuse in Immigrant detention centers
· Religion
· Adoption

OUR BOUNDARY: prior to sending questions or comments to us on this topic, that you first watch the video mentioned above (or read the transcript) and then read the “Read Me First: FAQ” document inside of the Abortion Research Resource Guide, as your questions are most likely answered inside that document. IF you still have questions after looking at the Read Me First document, then you can submit feedback via the feedback form inside the Abortion Research Resource Guide. The feedback form is the best way to communicate your thoughts with us. We thank you for respecting our boundaries in this matter.

Resources & References:

• SisterSong Reproductive Justice Definition
• For a full list of scientific and book references, see the blog post that goes along with this topic.
• Access the FREE EBB Abortion Research Resource Guide hosted at ebbirth.com/birthjustice.
• This podcast is also posted on our YouTube channel in case you want to access the video: https://youtube.com/evidencebasedbirth.

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit https://evidencebasedbirth.com.

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• Check out our EBB Professional Membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/ ).
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