Texas midwife Maria was arrested for alleged illegal abortions, signaling a dangerous precedent for community health providers amid post-Roe restrictions. This incident underscores long-held misconceptions about the role of midwives, who have historically provided abortion care. Many defended Maria, emphasizing her commitment to serving low-income, Latinx communities. The article argues that the arrest represents a continuation of systemic efforts to marginalize midwives and that true safety cannot arise from criminalizing essential healthcare providers. It calls for a deeper understanding of midwifery in the context of reproductive rights and community health care.
Many were quick to defend Maria, saying, 'A midwife wouldn't do that.' The response highlights historical inaccuracies about midwives that permeate perceptions of midwifery care.
Midwives have always been abortion providers. In fact, they were the world's first abortion providers. As we mark three years since Roe was overturned, we must examine the abortion restrictions created by Roe.
Removing her from her community and criminalizing her certainly doesn't protect Texans or make them safer. Some say we're now witnessing the beginning of the post-Roe 'witch hunt,' but midwives know that the hunt to eradicate community health providers has long been underway.
The role of a midwife also extends beyond professional capacities: Midwives are hubs for their community's health.
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