Doctor Denies Woman Prenatal Care Because She's Unmarried
Speaking at a town hall in Jonesborough, Tennessee, last week, an unnamed 35-year-old woman claimed that she was forced to seek care in Virginia after her local medical provider effectively claimed religious exemption.
'I just found out that I'm pregnant again,' the woman said. 'I've been with my partner for about 15 years though we're not married.
'I just had my first visit and that provider told me that, thanks to that fact, they were not comfortable treating me because I am an unwed mother and that went against their Christian values,' she continued. The woman and her partner have a 13-year-old child together.
The woman underscored that she's 'lucky enough' to live along the Virginia state border, allowing her to receive out-of-state care. Still, she said she was 'scared out of her mind' regarding the complications of the long drive.
Tennessee's Medical Ethics Defense Act went into effect in late April, allowing medical providers to opt out of participating in specific procedures that conflict with their 'conscience'—a legally defined term in the Volunteer State that refers to sincerely held ethical, moral, or religious beliefs.
The aggrieved woman had her first prenatal visit less than three months after the measure was implemented.
Speaking with the Nashville Banner on the condition of anonymity, she recalled that 'instantly, I felt my stomach drop and I knew this wasn't right, this wasn't okay.'
'I didn't want to react in a place of anger, because I felt like that was just going to support any judgment that the provider already had against me,' she told the paper. 'I said 'thank you for your time' and left, because if you're not willing to provide the best care to me, regardless of the reason, I don't want any part of this.'
She has since filed complaints with the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance and the American Medical Association, according to the Banner. At the town hall, the woman said she had called Senator Marsha Blackburn's office twice a day since the incident happened, but believed that she was either blocked or that Blackburn 'had all calls going directly to voicemail.'
'I've never even reached a staffer,' she said.
Senator Bill Hagerty, however, did answer—though his staffers had bad news: 'I was told he's not obligated to listen to his constituents,' the woman said.
Just living in Tennessee as a pregnant woman, in the wake of the state's total abortion ban, terrifies her. Speaking with the Banner, the mother recalled what happened to Adriana Smith in Georgia and feared that the same could happen to her in her home state.
Smith, a 30-year-old woman, was declared brain dead in February after developing multiple blood clots in her brain. But because she was about nine weeks pregnant at the time—past Georgia's six-week limit on abortions—the state opted to use her body as an incubator until the fetus was viable.
'The fear for me is if something [high risk] happens, I can't guarantee that the provider I see is going to value my life over the life of this fetus,' the Tennessee woman said. 'And while we do very, very much want this baby, I have one here already who very, very much relies on me.'
Tennessee has the highest maternal mortality rate in the country, with more than 41 deaths per 100,000 births, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It also has a staggeringly high infant mortality rate—two factors that, combined, contributed to its ranking as the worst state to live in in the U.S., according to a CNBC ranking.
State Republicans pushed for the passage of the Medical Ethics Defense Act, bargaining that the legislation would help the state retain its medical professionals, but that hasn't been the case.
Tennessee has been bleeding its medical expertise since the state's abortion ban went into effect in 2022, and the state's future isn't much brighter. A 2024 study from the Association of American Medical Colleges found that overall medical residency applications in the state had plummeted by more than 12 percent between 2023 and 2024, with obstetrics facing the worst decline, falling by 20.9 percent.
Solve the daily Crossword
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
5 minutes ago
- New York Times
Legionnaires' Outbreak in Harlem Kills 2 and Sickens More Than 50
Two people have died and more than 50 have been sickened in a fast-growing outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in Central Harlem that has health officials still searching for the source more than a week after people began turning up ill. Legionnaires' disease is a form of pneumonia caused by the Legionella bacterium, which thrives in warm, stagnant water. In New York City, many of the outbreaks are caused by water vapor spewed from rooftop cooling towers. The bacteria can float along on water vapor for sometimes thousands of feet before someone inhales the pathogen and is sickened, researchers believe. Most healthy people don't become sick after being exposed to the bacteria. But many people are vulnerable, including older adults, smokers and people with chronic diseases and compromised immune systems. On average, about 200 to 500 people annually are diagnosed with Legionnaires' disease in New York, and they generally require hospitalization. Just over a dozen die each year. The disease got its name from a 1976 convention in Philadelphia held by the American Legion, the veterans' organization, that resulted in a huge outbreak of mysterious pneumonia cases. Months later, scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed the cause: a never-before-identified bacterium, now called Legionella. Scientists quickly realized that it was responsible for tens of thousands of cases of pneumonia each year. The number has only grown. New York has an especially high rate of cases. Many cases trace back to mist emanating from cooling towers atop buildings, which play a critical role in cooling systems. Warm water is piped to the rooftop cooling tower, where fans cool the water through evaporation, sending the mist into the environment. If not properly maintained, the cooling towers can become incubators for the Legionella bacteria, which thrive in warm, standing water. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Medscape
6 minutes ago
- Medscape
Headaches & Hand Hijack: A 43-Year-Old's Struggle
A 43-year-old woman presented with insidious onset of neurocognitive decline, alien limb phenomenon, and personality changes. A case report by Anza Zahid, MD, a neurology resident at the Stanley H. Appel Department of Neurology at Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, and colleagues documented a significantly underdiagnosed and frequently misdiagnosed disease. The Patient and His History A right-handed woman presented with left extremity loss of function and personality change for over 1 year at the neurology outpatient clinic. After the birth of her fourth child, she began experiencing frequent headaches. She also became withdrawn, forgetful, and volatile in her mood, crying often and laughing inappropriately. She had no family history of neuropsychiatric or memory disorders. On the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, she scored 13 out of 30, losing points in visual-spatial testing, delayed memory, and calculation. Neurologic examination revealed oculomotor apraxia and three beats of nystagmus on horizontal right-sided gaze. The grasp reflex was present bilaterally. She demonstrated significant incoordination of her left hand, stating her left hand has a mind of its own. She had increased tone in all her extremities, with an admixture of rigidity and spasticity on the left side, but her motor strength was normal. Deep tendon reflexes were exaggerated bilaterally. Sensory testing was normal. On gait assessment, she walked unassisted, dragging her left foot in a plantar flexed position. Findings and Diagnosis Head CT showed ventriculomegaly and punctate calcification in the frontal lobe. Brain MRI revealed diffusion restriction and T2 periventricular hyperintensity with atrophy of the genu and anterior body of the corpus callosum. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed 2 white blood cells/mm3, 435 red blood cells/mm3, 48 mg/dL protein, 62 mg/dL glucose (serum glucose, 80 mg/dL), a normal immunoglobulin G index, and a synthetic rate. Based on the patients' history of headaches, left-sided weakness, and cognitive and personality changes, the differential diagnoses included cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, vascular aetiology (stroke, cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leucoencephalopathy, and Susac disease), and neurodegenerative conditions such as behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia, corticobasal degeneration, post-COVID demyelination syndrome, or multiple sclerosis. A frontal brain biopsy revealed extensive myelin loss with macrophage infiltration and the presence of neuroaxonal spheroids. Genetic testing confirmed the diagnosis of heterozygous CSF1R c.1765G > A ( gene mutation. No pathogenic variants of NOTCH3 were detected. Therefore, the diagnosis of CSF1R -related disorder was confirmed. The patient was administered high-dose steroids without significant improvement. An induction dose of intravenous immunoglobulin (2 g/kg) showed a transient benefit per oral report. For left upper extremity spasticity, she was offered botulinum toxin injections. Discussion 'The patient's disease had progressed too far, rendering her ineligible for clinical trials. The patient was administered high-dose steroids without significant improvement. An induction dose of intravenous immunoglobulin (2 g/kg) showed a transient benefit per oral report. For left upper extremity spasticity, she was offered botulinum toxin injections. The family was referred to a genetic clinic for counselling for her four children,' wrote the authors.
Medscape
6 minutes ago
- Medscape
Help Patients Get the Link Between Sleep Loss and Obesity
When patients share their struggles with falling asleep or staying asleep, physicians should try to assess whether obesity is playing a role. During discussions with your patients, acknowledge those concerns about sleep deprivation, help them understand possible causes and discuss ways to help them get better sleep. Often, conditions like obesity play a role, and discussing weight issues with patients can be tricky. There are strategies to lean in gently to discussions. Here's how to get started. Explaining the Connection Obesity and sleep loss are two separate but often interconnected health concerns, each with its own set of risks. 'It is well-known that obesity increases the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure, but obesity can also lead to structural changes in the body that make breathing more difficult and therefore contribute to sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea,' explained Fariha Abbasi-Feinberg, MD, medical director of sleep medicine at Millennium Physician Group in Fort Myers, Florida. 'In fact, even a 10% weight gain can increase [sleep apnea] risk by up to sixfold.' Fariha Abbasi-Feinberg, MD In addition, she noted how the relationship is bidirectional: Obstructive sleep apnea 'can impair sleep quality, affect metabolism and hormone levels, making it harder to maintain or lose weight.' Sleep loss may also interfere with the body's natural hunger and satiety signals. 'We all have experienced cravings for certain foods after a night of poor sleep; this can lead to weight gain and the increased body weight over time increases the risk of OSA and other medical issues,' she said. 'To help your patients, there's a need to address both in order to improve health.' Sharing Information With a Sensitive Approach The goal here isn't to shame patients or make them feel bad about their body image but to provide information and guidance to live healthier and sleep better. The course of discussion should be how losing weight could achieve better outcomes. 'Weight loss can improve certain sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea by decreasing the amount of tissue around the upper airway and making it less likely to collapse,' said Abbasi-Feinberg. 'Better sleep also supports hormone balance and appetite control, making it easier to maintain a healthy lifestyle.' Ways That You Can Communicate With Patients Patients trust primary care providers. Abbasi-Feinberg offered some action steps: Start the conversation by mentioning how a number of factors contribute to sleep apnea and weight can be one piece of the puzzle. Ask if they are open to discussing it further before making recommendations. Emphasize that even a modest change in weight can make a real difference in their sleep and energy levels. Encourage patients that this is a common challenge and there are options to help with weight loss. Consider referral to a dietitian and/or endocrine or bariatric clinic to discuss further interventions that might help promote weight loss. Explaining the Link Between Bad Sleep and Poor Choices Lack of sleep often triggers strong cravings, especially for high‑fat, high‑sugar snacks, Abbasi-Feinberg explained. 'It ramps up brain reward systems and endocannabinoids, making junk food even more appealing while weakening self-control,' she said, In one study, sleep‑deprived participants ate nearly twice as much fatty food than when well-rested. 'This shift in food preference can directly lead to poor eating choices and weight gain,' Abbasi-Feinberg said. Indira Gurubhagavatula, MD In addition, insufficient sleep can reduce physical activity and slow metabolism. When you're tired, you're less likely to move and burn calories. Research shows that sleep deprivation also disrupts basal energy expenditure and fuel use, lowering resting metabolic rate and fat oxidation. Here is additional information for patients to understand how sleep deprivation intersects with gaining weight. Abbasi-Feinberg provided talking points that are easy for patients to understand. Sleep deprivation messes with your hunger hormones. Sleep deprivation makes you crave unhealthy foods. Sleep deprivation makes you too tired to move. This combination of factors can affect your weight. What Patients Should Also Know About Snoring Weight gain can make snoring worse. It can also affect your partner's quality of sleep. 'Sometimes people wake themselves up from snoring or disturb their bedpartner, who then wakes them up to have them turn over,' said Indira Gurubhagavatula, MD, professor of medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Gurubhagavatula offered some suggestions for patients for better sleep Keep a regular schedule. Encourage patients to try and wake up and go to bed at roughly the same time every day. Eat at predictable times. Suggest they avoid eating close to bedtime or during the night when they should be sleeping. Encourage exercise. Overall, people tend to sleep better when their lifestyle includes some physical activity. Choose nutritious foods. The research around food choices and sleep quality continues to grow. High quantities of sugar have been shown to lead to poorer sleep quality. Maintain a bedroom environment that promotes sleep. Ideally, the bedroom should be cool, dark, quiet, and comfortable. Manage stress. Chronic stress may lead to poor sleep and weight gain in several ways, including eating or drinking alcohol or drugs to cope with negative emotions, she asserted. Limit the use of caffeine. Caffeine blocks adenosine, which is a sleep-promoting neurotransmitter therefore keeping you more alert, said Gurubhagavatula. 'The effects of caffeine can last for many hours after consumption and can disrupt sleep,' she explained. Reduce alcohol. Alcohol makes people fall asleep faster but lowers the quality of sleep later in the night, she noted, and it can lead to awakening or lighter stages of sleep in the second half of the night, leading the person to wake up feeling unrefreshed. See a sleep specialist. A referral to a sleep specialist could be helpful. 'Sleep is a foundational pillar of health,' said Gurubhagavatula. 'Investing in sleep can have large payoffs in the long run, leading to better overall physical and mental health and quality of life.'
