Reproductive Anxiety: Understanding the experiences of LGBTQ individuals, young people, and those who have faced perinatal loss.

Part 2 of 2.

This episode delves into the multifaceted issue of reproductive anxiety. We hear from researchers and activists Sam Murphy, Jessi Winters and Mari Greenfield on their work with LGBTQ communities, young people and individuals who have faced perinatal loss.

In Part 2, the guests share their solutions and best practices for research in this space. They discuss the implications of reproductive anxiety on relationships, decision-making, and mental health, as well as the importance of trust and community engagement in research. The speakers conclude by emphasising the need for advocacy to raise awareness of reproductive anxiety and discuss the role of researchers in amplifying marginalised voices.

Jessi Winters is a social researcher with a keen interest in using participatory methods to understand complex health issues. While working at Brook, Jessi led the ⁠⁠EASY research⁠⁠ to better understand young people’s attitudes and behaviours towards condoms, contraception and sexual health.

Dr. Mari Greenfield is a researcher at the Open University who specialises in working with marginalised groups on reproductive health issues. She usually uses qualitative and participatory methods to find out about people’s experiences.

Dr. Sam Murphy is a Senior Lecturer in Health Studies at The Open University. She has had a long-term interest in researching experiences of reproductive loss as well as, more broadly, the sociologies of human reproduction and death and dying.

Keywords: Reproductive anxiety; LGBTQ; perinatal loss; young people; contraception; mental health; research; advocacy; reproductive services.

Reproductive Anxiety: Understanding the experiences of LGBTQ individuals, young people, and those who have faced perinatal loss.

Part 1 of 2.

This episode delves into the multifaceted issue of reproductive anxiety. We hear from researchers and activists Sam Murphy, Jessi Winters and Mari Greenfield on their work with LGBTQ communities, young people and individuals who have faced perinatal loss.

Part 1 sets the scene for what reproductive anxiety might look like and draws on the challenges people face in deciphering reliable information from medical professionals and social media. The conversation highlights the intersectionality of reproductive anxiety, emphasising how identity and past experiences shape individuals' feelings and concerns. The guests discuss the stigma surrounding reproductive health decisions and the importance of accessible information and support.

Jessi Winters is a social researcher with a keen interest in using participatory methods to understand complex health issues. While working at Brook, Jessi led the ⁠⁠EASY research⁠⁠ to better understand young people’s attitudes and behaviours towards condoms, contraception and sexual health.

Dr. Mari Greenfield is a researcher at the Open University who specialises in working with marginalised groups on reproductive health issues. She usually uses qualitative and participatory methods to find out about people’s experiences.

Dr. Sam Murphy is a Senior Lecturer in Health Studies at The Open University. She has had a long-term interest in researching experiences of reproductive loss as well as, more broadly, the sociologies of human reproduction and death and dying.

Keywords: Reproductive anxiety; LGBTQ; perinatal loss; young people; contraception; mental health; research; advocacy; reproductive services.

"Dignity means different things for different people, and it’s difficult to deny the importance of the notion in understandings of human existence. So when we use dignity as a given of a quality to being human, we need to dig into what human means and who grants what a human with rights is.” Lisa Käll.

“Person-centred care is only reserved for some people entering healthcare systems, and not for others.” Sarah Hamed.

The question of human dignity is crucial in the fight for birthing rights for racially minoritised people in Sweden and the UK. Who is understood to be worthy of dignified care, what should dignified care look like and what is the responsibility of the health system? These troubling questions are discussed by our multidisciplinary panel from a philosophical, sociological and activist perspective in this powerful episode on Dignity in Maternity Care. In Part 1, speakers explore the concept of dignity and how it is used in research and practice. In Part 2, speakers review what their research shows about how black and brown people are treated in maternity care, what can be done to ensure that women and birthing people can maintain their rights, autonomy and a sense of dignity through supportive and caring communities. Speakers end with calls to learn from transformative justice and to build a collaborative movement to end mistreatment and harm in maternity care.

“We need solutions and pressure on government to think bigger and more radically about how to transform maternity care so that it becomes something that enables all women and birthing people to access life-affirming rights, respecting safe care.” Shanthi Gunesekera

For more information on topics raised in this episode:

• ⁠https://www.blackthrive.org/⁠
• ⁠Birthrights - your human rights during pregnancy and maternity care⁠

Biographies

Lisa Käll, Professor in Gender Studies at Stockholm University. Lisa is head of the department for Ethnology, History of Religion and Gender studies at Stockholm University, leads the Nordic network for gender, body and health, and writes and edits publications within her research interests of feminist philosophy, especially phenomenology and philosophy of subjectivity, body/embodiment theory and many other areas.

Shanthi Gunesekera, Co-CEO at Birthrights UK, the leading authority on the rights of women and birthing people during pregnancy and birth in the UK. Shanthi and her job share partner Janaki previously led the Greater London Authority’s policy and programmes delivered under the Mayor of London’s Social Integration Strategy.

Sarah Hamed, Researcher in Medical Sociology at Kings College London and Head of Research and Evaluation at Black Thrive Global. Sarah focuses on migration and health inequalities, racism and racialisation in healthcare and is currently conducting a study on racism in maternity care in Sweden and the UK.