While the essence and role of women in society continues to be debated, the influence and significance of their presence is undeniable. Motherhood is one of many emotional experiences which brings about the opportunity to nurture the essence of a woman-life. While the US has demonstrated respect for life by limiting abortions, it has not fulfilled its responsibility to the women who make life possible. The revocation of established liberties raised questions about a governmental hidden agenda; because while some people view this decision as a classic pro-life principle, others saw forced childbirth, and then, there’s people like me who see it as a series of hidden tragedies.
Perhaps, I have a distorted view, but my experience with childbirth was nothing short of a series of unfortunate events. I expressed my suspicions that my membranes had already ruptured to my doctor at what would become my last prenatal appointment, but my doctor continued his routine exam with little regard until he apologized when the full rupture occurred on the exam table. He compelled and convinced me to remain under his care at a unpreferred local hospital, but he never came to the delivery nor answered any calls from the hospital. I found myself in an unfamiliar place with strangers. My story is not one anyone is excited to hear, and I have, since, met a lot of women who have had similar experiences. My experience ended with my daughter, having the umbilical cord wrapped tightly around her neck, and my having received the wrong type of blood during delivery – on life support.
Instead of celebrating my first experience with motherhood, I recall waking up to conversations which made me believe I was at my own memorial service. As a result, forcing childbirth, given the maternal healthcare crisis, in the US, sounds like a nightmare. I hoped for a miraculous recovery, because I realized that my becoming well was the only way my health conscientious decisions and prenatal preparation would be significant, given my situation. In addition, the quality of healthcare available to women demonstrates just as high of a regard for life as limiting abortions. Therefore, holding women accountable for decisions which result with their need for an abortion, while medical professionals remain unaccountable for subpar and purposefully biased healthcare practices, can be described as medical genocide when we consider the rates of maternal mortality among women, especially those of African descent.
I, often, wonder if my giving birth for the first time, or trusting that my experienced doctor knew my presumptions were unfounded and continued providing me quality healthcare explains my cooperation with the exam in silence while my concerns were ignored. Today, I still live with consequences of subpar healthcare despite my health conscience decisions and prenatal healthcare. My reality is that I entered the hospital only having gestational diabetes, but when I surprisingly progressed, and discharged from the hospital, I had suffered a stroke and seizures due to medical mishaps. Since childbirth is considered life threatening, there are few consequences for medical professionals.
While I could have never anticipated the medical mishaps we experienced or the impact it’s had on our world, I embraced the experience of motherhood through the lens of mortality and accepted the impact of being ignored in this situation. I learned my greatest defense is my voice, and I scripted the book For the Love of Maddie, with the hope of strengthening families. It is important for families of the women forced on the table to demand unbiased, quality healthcare by everyone at the table. Make your voices heard!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Robyn Mixon is a North Charleston, SC native. A mother to one child, Madelynn “Maddi,e” she spent the last 17 years as a highly qualified public high school educator in various roles of the special education in Virginia, South Carolina, and Florida. After settling back closer to home, she completed her PhD. in Advanced Studies in Human Behavior at Capella University, and gained experience as a post- secondary educator and developed a passion for helping to build family structure. Currently, she resides in Summerville, SC where she nurtures Madelynn and works as an educator in a local public educational school system. Feel free to email her at: robyn@robynsnestpublications.com.
