In a post-Roe world, abortion doulas struggle to provide services
Abortion doulas like Mariah Brown and Ka'Lyn Coghill provide support for women that decide to terminate their pregnancy. While they don’t directly perform the abortions they help with transportation, appointments, child care and emotional support. Here's how abortion doulas across the country, like Brown and Coghill, are affected by the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Video Transcript
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KALYN COGHILL: A lot of people don't know that abortion doulas are a thing.
MARIAH BROWN: They created this space where doulas were allowed to come in. And if they didn't feel comfortable talking with the doctor or the nurse, I was that liaison between the medical physician and the patients to make sure that they felt safe.
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So my name is Mariah Elise Brown. I am a doula, a certified lactation counselor, and a student midwife here in Alabama. In my role as an abortion doula, I did a lot of education and support. I would sit in on some of those counseling services.
There were times where there would be patients that would ask, hey, can I have a doula? I'll come in here and I will hold your hand, I will talk to you, I will breathe with you, I will pray over you-- whatever it is that you need me to do. As far as actively being able to provide care for abortion services, my work actually ended the day that Roe v Wade did their overturn.
There was a huge news broadcast that came up across the TV screens. All of our clients that were in the waiting room area became immediately aware of the law change, aware of the overturn. I mean, to find out in that moment that this is something that's no longer accessible to you, it was heartbreaking.
JOE BIDEN: The court has done what it has never done before-- expressly take away a constitutional right that is so fundamental to so many Americans that had already been recognized.
The court's decision to do so will real and immediate consequences. State laws banning abortion are automatically taking effect today, jeopardizing the health of millions of women, some without exceptions-- so extreme the women could be punished for protecting their health.
MARIAH BROWN: There is a huge fear, especially in this state, where you know that there is an aiding and abetting law and you're not really sure about the full legalities or how far that goes. I don't know if I could get in trouble for telling you which state to go to. I don't know if I can get in trouble for even giving you the basic knowledge of how to take care of yourself should you go and get this procedure done.
I don't know how far they would go as far as punishing me or holding me accountable for being able to even give basic education surrounding abortion care.
JOE BIDEN: While, the court's decision cast a dark shadow over large swaths of the land, many states in this country still recognize the woman's right to choose. So if a woman lives in a state that restricts abortion, the Supreme Court's decision does not prevent her from traveling from her home state to the state that allows it.
KALYN COGHILL: My name is Kalyn Coghill and I'm an abortion doula in Richmond, Virginia. We are considered a safe haven, because you can get abortions up until right before your third trimester. And since the overturn of Roe v Wade, we've had a lot of people traveling here to get their abortion care.
Abortion doulas can go across state lines if they need to. But usually, we try to encourage people to go through their abortion fund in their city. I wouldn't say it's necessarily hard, but it's more disheartening to know that people don't understand how important reproductive health and reproductive justice is.
