Lyman Stone (@lymanstone): "In general, pronatalism tends to be focused on stuff we can legislate. These experiences are not totally separate from policy, but aren’t always easy to legislate. Nonetheless, I’ll note that I was at a conference in the UK not long ago where the organizers ensured one of the k…"

Make money doing the work you believe in

In general, pronatalism tends to be focused on stuff we can legislate. These experiences are not totally separate from policy, but aren’t always easy to legislate.

Nonetheless, I’ll note that I was at a conference in the UK not long ago where the organizers ensured one of the key sessions was about the abysmal state of maternity care in the UK: because everybody present felt that was an important part of the story of falling births.

I don’t think pronatalists are opposed to addressing these issues, and often very much in favor. I think that, rather, the people who have the subject matter knowledge of what to do on these issues choose not to participate in public discourse as pronatalists, for various reasons.

I wish people understood how often women tell me that a traumatic or dangerous birth—or one in which their choices were ignored—played a decisive role in their decision to avoid another pregnancy. Those of us who want to improve maternity care face an uphill battle and, most of the time, it doesn’t seem like the pronatalist movement cares.

Ann Ledbetter

Jan 31

4:04 AM

Make money doing the work you believe in

Log in or sign up