Caring for Both:
A Curbside Consult Series (Episodes 21-36)
Listen to the podcast below:
Season 2 Teaser
In this brief “teaser”, Myriam Diallo is joined by Season 2 co-hosts Dr. Christina Francis and Dr. Susan Bane to discuss the changes in the works for the next several months of the Caring for Both podcast.
If you haven’t already, be sure to register for the Matthew Bulfin Education Conference by Tuesday, February 6 (www.aaplog.org/mbec2024).
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Episode 36
Chaney Gooley, national program manager for Her PLAN, discusses this program and how it allows pregnant women in crisis to get the support they need.
Chaney Gooley, is a provider support manager at Her PLAN (Her Pregnancy and Life Assistance Network), which facilitates collaboration between assistance providers and their communities to empower women and families through comprehensive medical, social, and material support. She previously worked for Divine Mercy Care, where she helped Dr. John Bruchalski (a longtime AAPLOG member) and was on the board of the Healing Center International, a contemplative discipleship ministry. Chaney joined the Susan B. Anthony List in 2019 to help with the new Her PLAN project. She is a graduate of the University of Virginia, majoring in Architectural History and Sociology. Chaney is also the Co-Author of Pathways to Life, a guide for churches to help pregnant and parenting moms in need. She is passionate about forming life-affirming communities, exploring innovative ideas, and making strategic connections.
Resources from this episode:
Episode 35
In this two-part conversation, fourth-year medical student and mother of two Alexandra Davidson offers insights on how medical professionals can help build a life-affirming society. In this second conversation, Alexandra discusses how medical professionals can help address systemic challenges to supporting pregnant women and families.
Alexandra is an AAPLOG member as well as a Student Ambassador for FACTS About Fertility, a fertility awareness education organization. In 2023, at our Matthew Bulfin Educational Conference, Alexandra won the Honeycutt Award for her outstanding scientific poster presentation highlighting her research on Kansas physicians’ knowledge and perceptions of fertility awareness-based family planning methods.
Resources/sources from interview:
- Cycle charting: https://www.factsaboutfertility.org/what-is-charting/
- Latched mama: https://www.facebook.com/latchedmama
- Both Lives Matter: https://bothlivesmatter.org/stories/hannahs-story-im-pro-life-but
- Dr. Milk: https://www.drmilk.org/
- Kelly Mom: https://kellymom.com/
- Drugs and Lactation Database: Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®) – NCBI Bookshelf (nih.gov)
- InfantRisk Center: https://infantrisk.com/
Episode 34
In this two-part conversation, fourth-year medical student and mother of two Alexandra Davidson offers insights on how medical professionals can help build a life-affirming society. In this first conversation, Alexandra identifies a variety of societal factors that impact women’s pregnancy decisions, including challenges facing women in the medical profession.
Alexandra is an AAPLOG member as well as a Student Ambassador for FACTS About Fertility, a fertility awareness education organization. In 2023, at our Matthew Bulfin Educational Conference, Alexandra won the Honeycutt Award for her outstanding scientific poster presentation highlighting her research on Kansas physicians’ knowledge and perceptions of fertility awareness-based family planning methods.
Resources/sources from interview:
- Cycle charting: https://www.factsaboutfertility.org/what-is-charting/
- Latched mama: https://www.facebook.com/latchedmama
- Both Lives Matter: https://bothlivesmatter.org/stories/hannahs-story-im-pro-life-but
- Dr. Milk: https://www.drmilk.org/
- Kelly Mom: https://kellymom.com/
- Drugs and Lactation Database: Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®) – NCBI Bookshelf (nih.gov)
- InfantRisk Center: https://infantrisk.com/
Episode 33
In this second half of a two-part episode on holistic fertility care, Dr. Sarah Pederson discusses her approach to treating patients facing fertility issues with AAPLOG CEO Dr. Christina Francis.
Dr. Pederson is a board-certified OB-GYN who specializes in fertility, holistic medicine, and surgery. She practices in Denver, Colorado, where she is the founder of Vera Health and Fertility, where she takes a holistic, personalized approach to women’s health issues. At Vera, Dr. Pederson thinks outside the box to get to the bottom of why couples are having fertility issues or other concerns like abnormal bleeding, PMS symptoms or painful periods. She provides a welcoming environment and comes up with very personalized treatment plans unprecedented in current medical care.
Episode 32
Board-certified OB-GYN Dr. Sarah Pederson discusses the holistic approach she uses to treat patients dealing with hormonal issues at her Colorado practice.
Dr. Pederson specializes in fertility, holistic medicine, and surgery. She practices in Denver, Colorado, where she is the founder of Vera Health and Fertility, where she takes a holistic, personalized approach to women’s health issues. At Vera, Dr. Pederson thinks outside the box to get to the bottom of why couples are having fertility issues or other concerns like abnormal bleeding, PMS symptoms or painful periods. She provides a welcoming environment and comes up with very personalized treatment plans unprecedented in current medical care.
Episode 31
This is Part 2 of an update on the federal chemical abortion lawsuit Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v FDA.
Erik is the lead attorney representing the plaintiffs in AHM v FDA. He serves as senior counsel for the Alliance Defending Freedom, focusing on administrative litigation and regulatory advocacy. Before working at ADF, he was a partner at one of the largest law firms in Washington, DC, and a senior executive service political appointee at the US Environmental Protection Agency. Erik is admitted to practice before the US Supreme Court and several federal courts of appeal and so he definitely brings a great depth of experience and knowledge to this case.
Dr. Skop is Vice President and Director of Medical Affairs for Charlotte Lozier Institute, leveraging more than 25 years’ experience as a practicing obstetrician-gynecologist to support research and policies that respect the dignity of every human life. Dr. Skop is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, where she uses science and statistics to counter pro-abortion agendas and is a lifetime member of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Dr. Skop’s research on maternal mortality, abortion, and women’s health has been published in multiple peer-reviewed journals.
Episode 30
In our fifth and sixth episodes, AAPLOG CEO Dr. Christina Francis interviewed attorney Erik Baptist, who offered an overview of what was going on in the federal court case Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA. Since then, there have been a few developments in this case about which we felt you should be kept in the loop, so we’ve brought Erik back to give us an update and brought on Dr. Ingrid Skop to offer a medical perspective.
Erik is the lead attorney representing the plaintiffs in AHM v FDA. He serves as senior counsel for the Alliance Defending Freedom, focusing on administrative litigation and regulatory advocacy. Before working at ADF, he was a partner at one of the largest law firms in Washington, DC, and a senior executive service political appointee at the US Environmental Protection Agency. Erik is admitted to practice before the US Supreme Court and several federal courts of appeal and so he definitely brings a great depth of experience and knowledge to this case.
Dr. Skop is Vice President and Director of Medical Affairs for Charlotte Lozier Institute, leveraging more than 25 years’ experience as a practicing obstetrician-gynecologist to support research and policies that respect the dignity of every human life. Dr. Skop is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, where she uses science and statistics to counter pro-abortion agendas and is a lifetime member of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Dr. Skop’s research on maternal mortality, abortion, and women’s health has been published in multiple peer-reviewed journals.
Episode 29
Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist Dr. Jeffrey Wright and AAPLOG CEO and board-certified OB-GYN Dr. Christina Francis discuss how to treat premature rupture of membranes (PROM), especially pre-viability. This second half of the conversation covers fetal survival rates of PROM, maternal risks of continuing pregnancy with PROM, and the law versus the ethics of managing PROM.
Dr. Wright is a board-certified Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist in North Carolina. He completed his MD and a residency and fellowship at the University of Texas Medical School in San Antonio, where he co-founded that institution’s first fetal diagnostic unit and developed the institution’s capability in fetal echocardiography, fetal Doppler, and umbilical blood sampling. Later he founded the first Maternal Fetal Medicine practice in Southeastern North Carolina where he has cared for pregnant patients and their unborn children since 1990. You may remember Dr. Wright from our tenth episode, titled “What is Not an Abortion?” If you haven’t listened to that episode, be sure to do so after this one!
Episode 28
Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist Dr. Jeffrey Wright and AAPLOG CEO and board-certified OB-GYN Dr. Christina Francis discuss how to treat premature rupture of membranes (PROM), especially pre-viability. This first half of the conversation covers what PROM is, its causes, and risks to mom and baby.
Dr. Wright is a board-certified Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist in North Carolina. He completed his MD and a residency and fellowship at the University of Texas Medical School in San Antonio, where he co-founded that institution’s first fetal diagnostic unit and developed the institution’s capability in fetal echocardiography, fetal Doppler, and umbilical blood sampling. Later he founded the first Maternal Fetal Medicine practice in Southeastern North Carolina where he has cared for pregnant patients and their unborn children since 1990. You may remember Dr. Wright from our tenth episode, titled “What is Not an Abortion?” If you haven’t listened to that episode, be sure to do so after this one!
Episode 27
Future Medical Professionals for Life CEO Gavin Oxley discusses the challenges faced by pro-life aspiring medical professionals, how current pro-life medical professionals can support them and more.
For his undergraduate degree, Gavin studied medical anthropology, ethics, and care at the University of Virginia, during which time he founded FMPFL; today, he is working on his Master of Legal Studies at Arizona State University and plans to attend medical school after taking some time to do pro-life work. At FMPFL, he works to restore the Hippocratic oath by engaging medical students on their campuses. He also collaborates with the organization Students for Life of America to support pro-life aspiring medical professionals and serves that same organization as Lead Operations Supervisor and Medical & Law Coordinator.
Resources Mentioned:
Episode 25
Board-certified OB-GYN Dr. Vivina Napier offers information about Issue 1, the pro-abortion proposed Ohio state constitutional amendment. Dr. Napier discusses the current abortion landscape in Ohio as well as the potential impacts of Issue 1 on the preborn and on women.
Helpful resources:
- Learn more about Issue 1 from Protect Women Ohio
- Learn more about Do No Harm Ohio, the medical professional coalition promoting life in Ohio
- Help promote life in Ohio through Created Equal
Episode 24
Genetic Counselor Caroline Aragon discusses the role of genetic counseling in the case of difficult prenatal diagnosis, the challenges and opportunities of recent improvements in genetic technology for life-affirming care, and more.
Here to speak to these challenges is Caroline Aragon, a board-certified genetic counselor based out of Minnesota, where she offers telehealth genetic risk assessment, education, and psychosocial support in a variety of clinical areas including prenatal, general genetics, and oncology. She is available to provide genetic counseling in 17 states. Caroline believes all individuals and families deserve to be empowered to make informed decisions through understanding their genetic information. She feels blessed to provide holistic pro-family, faith-based genetic support that seeks to understand the individual with their unique needs and values. Her primary focus is helping patients and families understand and adapt to information about genetic risk or genetic diagnosis. In addition, she has experience in genetics research, clinical study management, and patient advocacy.
Episode 23
Katy Faust, Founder and President of children’s rights organization Them Before Us, discusses her organization’s work, why our healthcare system needs to prioritize the needs of children, and what medical professionals can do to advocate for children in their practice.
Katy publishes, speaks and testifies widely on why marriage and family are matters of justice for children. Her articles have appeared in Newsweek, USA Today, The Federalist, Public Discourse, The Daily Signal, the Washington Examiner, the American Mind, and the American Conservative. Katy helped design the teen edition of CanaVox which studies sex, marriage and relationships from a natural law perspective. Her latest book, Raising Conservative Kids in a Woke City, was released in September of this year and is available on Amazon in audiobook, ebook, or print format. She is also the author of Them Before Us: Why We Need a Global Children’s Rights Movement, which is also on Amazon. She and her pastor husband are raising their four children in Seattle. Katy will also be giving a keynote address at the Matthew Bulfin Educational Conference this February.
Resources:
- Come hear Katy speak at MBEC by registering
- Read Katy’s book, Them Before Us: Why We Need A Global Children’s Rights Movement
- Learn more about Them Before Us on their website
- Learn more about the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship and TBU’s role in it
Episode 22
In part 2 of this two-part episode, theologian and writer Dr. Grattan Brown discusses broader insights from his essay series highlighting the experiences of pro-life medical professionals.
Dr. Brown is a Catholic theologian with a background in philosophy and literature. During the past 25 years, he has written about bioethics and served on various hospital ethics boards. He received a Doctor of Sacred Theology at the Pontifical Lateran University in Italy and has served as Associate Professor of Theology at St. Charles Seminary in Philadelphia and at Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina. He helped launch Thales College in Raleigh, NC and currently teaches Theology to high school students in Alexandria Virginia. At the beginning of this year, Dr. Brown launched a new project to publish the stories of pro-life medical professionals. The series aims to highlight the human face as well as the professional excellence of pro-life doctors, nurses, and midwives in response to inflammatory pro-choice rhetoric that erupted after Roe was overturned.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- Dr. Brown’s essay series
- Where Is Wisdom, Dr. Brown’s website
- Get in touch with Dr. Brown via Where Is Wisdom
- Email Dr. Brown to work with him on this series: prolifestories@proton.me
- The Abortion Diary
Episode 21
In this first half of a two-part conversation, theologian Dr. Grattan Brown will be discussing his essay project highlighting the voices of pro-life medical professionals.
Relevant Links:
writer grattan brown | Rehumanize (rehumanizeintl.org)
Dr. Brown is a Catholic theologian with a background in philosophy and literature. During the past 25 years, he has written about bioethics and served on various hospital ethics boards. He received a Doctor of Sacred Theology at the Pontifical Lateran University in Italy and has served as Associate Professor of Theology at St. Charles Seminary in Philadelphia and at Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina. He helped launch Thales College in Raleigh, NC and currently teaches Theology to high school students in Alexandria Virginia. At the beginning of this year, Dr. Brown launched a new project to publish the stories of pro-life medical professionals. The series aims to highlight the human face as well as the professional excellence of pro-life doctors, nurses, and midwives in response to inflammatory pro-choice rhetoric that erupted after Roe was overturned.