Reproductive Rights - The Persistent

Black and white photo of an old hospital nursery, with newborns in little bassinets arranged in rows.

Reproductive Rights

'It Is Time to Reflect On Whether Or Not to Have a Child'—Oh, Boy.

In its efforts to combat infertility, France is missing the point. That's because a decision to have a child isn't just a medical issue, it's a social one, too.

Watercolor of the author Rebecca Kelliher, with curly brown hair and a big smile. She wears a brown roll-neck sweater and a black blazer.

The Interview

'Just Pills'—How Women Created Their Own Abortion Revolution

A new book reveals how ordinary women—not doctors—first noticed the effects of the medication now sold as so-called ‘abortion pills.’

A soft-focus image of a baby lying down. Only its feet are in focus.

Reproductive Rights

Americans Don't Want Politicians to Encourage People to Have Children

Americans think a declining birthrate is a bad thing, new research shows. But they'd rather politicians weren't involved in fixing it.

An illustration of a pregnant person holding a medicine capsule.

Reproductive Health

Expectant Mothers Deserve More Options Than Just ‘Toughing It Out’

The swirl of misinformation around Tylenol and pregnancy points to a bigger problem: An overall reluctance to include pregnant women in medical research.

Reproductive Rights

Three Years Post Dobbs, Everything Has Changed, and Nothing

Abortion remains a wildly divisive issue in the U.S., with perspectives varying dramatically by state.

Reproductive Rights

Dozens of Organizations Call on Trump to Stop Defunding Planned Parenthood

One in three women have visited a Planned Parenthood. Cutting funding would 'block these patients from getting the care they need.'

An artist's illustration of two hands grabbing a medical needles which is inserted into a petri dish.

Infertility

‘Ethical IVF’ May Be the Problematic Solution to Donald Trump’s IVF Dilemma

By supporting IVF, Trump drove a wedge between two factions of his followers. So-called “ethical IVF” may be how he stitches them back together.

Gretchen Whitmer, surrounded by surrogacy advocates and their children, signs the new act into law

Infertility

‘I Never Set Out to Be An Advocate'

Surrogacy is once again legal in Michigan. With good old grassroots activism, here's how I helped make it happen.

Cecile Richards smiles widely at a lectern. She wears navy, with gold earrings, a gold broach and cerise lipstick.

Great Women

Thank You, Cecile

The activist and former president of Planned Parenthood died on Monday, aged 67.

Forgotten Feminists

‘Women Should Have Children Instead of Poodles’—When Birth Control Came to Washington

The idea of birth control entered the national conversation in 1919, when an artist, activist, and single mother named Mary Ware Dennett brought the (quite shocking!) idea to Congress.

A watercolor painting of the author Jessica Valenti. She has short hair in a bob and is wearing bright lipstick.

The Interview

How Angry Should Women Voters Be?

The journalist Jessica Valenti chronicles the pro-life movement in forensic detail in her new book. Ahead of the election, she says, voters need to get angry.

A black and white photo shows Margaret Sanger, wearing a hat and belted dress, standing at a table covered with documents.

Great Women

The Complicated Legacy of Margaret Sanger

The founder of Planned Parenthood advanced women's rights immeasurably. But many of her views were far from progressive.

Illustration: a framed picture of a black woman's pregnancy bump, with flowers and a candle on top of a stack of case files.

U.S. Election 2024

Two Years On, The Biden-Harris Effort To Reduce Maternal Mortality Remains—A Start

Maternal mortality is shockingly high in the U.S. What exactly is being done about it?

A photo illustration shows a woman with her arms wrapped around her knees, and an open hand, caught in a web, holding a pill.

Equality

Providing Care After Roe, These Doctors Met a Hurdle They Didn’t Expect

Online abortion providers face constant headwinds, even with protections and systems in place.

A watercolor painting of the journalists Elizabeth Dias and Lisa Lerer.

The Interview

Two Journalists Investigated the Decade-Long Campaign to Criminalize Abortion. Here’s What They Found Out.

A new book takes a deep dive into the right-wing Christian campaign that overturned Roe v Wade. Ahead of this year’s presidential election, its authors uncover an America that is as divided on the issue as ever.