On Pregnancy, Fascism, and Gaza
In pregnancy, you may find yourself assigning profound meaning to the smallest interactions. You may find yourself captivated, moment to moment, day to day, by the smallest incidences of your pregnancy journey. With luck, you can become a willing co-conspirator to your new companion. A newfound aversion to fish, for example, maybe become a happy reason to indulge in seared steak like never before. You may become transfixed by autumn-patterned baby clothing for the first time. Even the more determined kicks from inside your belly may elicit astonished giggles and excited discussions of what this means for a personality. The stretch marks you can bear proudly. You may feel compelled to devour succulent morsels of rainbow cake from your local Italian bakery, the chocolate staining your fingers, standing at your kitchen counter, crumbs falling unheeded to your feet.
You may experience, at times, a deep longing for your childhood in Queens.
And you will become aware, more acutely than ever before, of your deep and pervasive privilege. The privilege to carry a pregnancy, while receiving necessary and supplementary maternal healthcare, while being supported, while being trusted, while being believed. You may consider, with new clarity, the specifics of your circumstances in New York City. The specifics of your situation – access to healthcare, a trusted care team. Access to healthy food, experienced pediatricians. Easy transportation via the subway. Your fears assuaged by the constant and comforting presence of this network around you.
But this is far from the typical picture of pregnancy. In the United States, reproductive rights have been gutted and picked apart. Reproductive rights are healthcare rights. Women cannot have safe pregnancies without widespread and easily available and extensive reproductive healthcare.
I would never wish pregnancy on anyone against their will. Pregnancy, though joyous, is a difficulted and complicated medical event. There are risks for complications like preeclampsia, placenta previa, gestational diabetes, and infection. Birth and labor are hard to predict and come with risks. Maternal mental health complications are common and are not discussed nearly enough. Post-partum depression is very serious and widespread. Your bones ache and your joints soften. You are changed.
The disparities grow across as economic gaps widen. Many women do not have access to even the basics. For women of color, the risks can grow as well. Brown and Black women may face systemic racism in the healthcare system, leading to higher complication rates and higher maternal mortality rates. In comparison to white women, Black women are two to three times as likely to face maternal mortality with most cases being preventable.
Sickeningly, this isn’t uncommon. In the last years, there has been a spate of pregnant women who passed away from entirely preventable causes because they were unable to access miscarriage or abortion care in their home states. These things are part of a comprehensive maternal and reproductive healthcare system and women deserve a safe and accessible system.
Under the current presidency and the rampant cuts to Medicaid and other benefits’ programs, I am not seeing how things could improve for many people.
I would be remiss not to mention, again, my own privilege in this situation. I am glad to have access to care. Truthfully, I experienced placenta previa in earlier stages. This is a condition where the placenta is low on the uterus, which may cause birth complications, early birth or bleeding at any time.
At the time of my diagnosis, I hadn’t even heard of this. Initially, I was quite shocked and anxious. But my care team took the time to address my fears and assure me that the condition is temporary and tends to correct itself.
Over and over, this process repeated itself. I became fearful and relied on my doctors and support network – my friends, loved ones, partner, neighbors – to help me with the various symptoms and progressions of pregnancy. When my bones ached, when I experienced pains, when I just needed a listening ear. I couldn’t imagine doing this any other way.
Which brings us to Gaza. While the Gaza strip has been actively facing genocide, Palestinian women are dealing with inhumane conditions while carrying pregnancies. A report from Human Rights Watch details the scene, already known to be beyond imagining. Between the rampant Israeli attacks on medical facilities and the forced starvation, mothers and infants are under constant threat. The report lists that birthing and newborn facilities are only available at seven partially functioning hospitals, four field hospitals and one community health center. This is all that remains of twenty fully functioning hospitals.
Miscarriage rates have soared in Gaza under the Israeli onslaught, and many Palestinian mothers are unable to breastfeed or afford formula after giving birth. There aren’t enough incubators for the newborns and many new mothers and pregnant women don’t even have access to a sip of water or a single meal in the day. There is little to no access to postnatal care for many mothers and their infants.
According to Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and Doctors Without Borders, this meets the requirements for genocide. Israeli forces regularly deny entry to humanitarian assistance. This is systemic.
In writing this essay, I hoped to provide clarity on birthing conditions around the world and my own lens in comparison. With a particular focus on the conditions in Gaza. Every pregnant person deserves a safe experience where their needs and wishes are met. I hope that more people will come to understand this.
SOURCES:
1. https://www.msf.org/msf-report-exposes-israel’s-campaign-total-destruction
3. https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/12/18/israel-starvation-used-weapon-war-gaza
4. https://www.ochaopt.org/content/hostilities-gaza-strip-and-israel-flash-update-150
5. https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2023/solving-the-black-maternal-health-crisis
6. https://reproductiverights.org/maternal-health-and-rights-initiative/
DONATE:
Palestine Children’s Relief Fund: https://www.pcrf.net
Doctor’s Without Borders: https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org