The OBservations Podcast

Colorado-based OB-GYN Dr. Catherine Wheeler discusses her home state's pro-abortion landscape and history, as well as the importance of standing up for life-affirming medicine in environment like that.

Dr. Wheeler is an Ob/Gyn physician who practiced in Salt Lake City, Utah for 24 years, before moving to Colorado. In Utah, she was an originating shareholder of a private Ob/Gyn practice. Later in her career, she developed midlife women’s health clinic and educational programs at the University of Utah. She then developed a gynecology clinic with HCA St. Mark’s Hospital. Earlier in her career, Dr. Wheeler performed induced abortions, but has since stopped this practice on moral grounds. Today, she is a frequent speaker for life and regarding the reality of abortion, provides testimony at the Colorado legislature, provides informational opinion pieces and interviews for media, and serves with prolife organizations to educate, to advance the defense of preborn human life, and to advocate for and provide support for women and families.

Resources:

Want to join AAPLOG's Colorado state chapter? Message [email protected].

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Dr. Catherine Wheeler shares how she became a pro-life advocate as a former abortionist, and shares insights on how pro-life medical professionals can stand up for their beliefs at work and in the public square.

Dr. Wheeler is an Ob/Gyn physician who practiced in Salt Lake City, Utah for 24 years, before moving to Colorado. In Utah, she was an originating shareholder of a private Ob/Gyn practice. Later in her career, she developed midlife women’s health clinic and educational programs at the University of Utah. She then developed a gynecology clinic with HCA St. Mark’s Hospital. Earlier in her career, Dr. Wheeler performed induced abortions, but has since stopped this practice on moral grounds. Today, she is a frequent speaker for life and regarding the reality of abortion, provides testimony at the Colorado legislature, provides informational opinion pieces and interviews for media, and serves with prolife organizations to educate, to advance the defense of preborn human life, and to advocate for and provide support for women and families.

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Dr. Stephen Sammut offers an explanation of his latest study on reversing the abortive effects of mifepristone with natural progesterone in a rat model.

Dr. Sammut is currently a Full Professor of Psychology at Franciscan University of Steubenville, OH, where he teaches and is also actively involved in research. His research interests lie in the utilization of behavioral models and combined experimental techniques to investigate the interaction between the endocrine, immune and nervous systems and their role in CNS development, functioning and psychopathology. At this time, one of his primary areas of research is seeking to establish a pre-clinical model addressing reversal of the abortive effects of mifepristone with natural progesterone. In July 2023, Dr. Sammut published a study exploring progesterone-mediated reversal of mifepristone-induced pregnancy termination in a rat model in Scientific Reports, a peer-reviewed open-access journal published by Nature Portfolio.

Want to support APR research?

Dr. Sammut's research is funded solely by supporters like you. To help him continue the research that he discusses in this episode, go to https://sammutlab.com/donate/. Dr. Sammut uses these funds to purchase and maintain equipment, such as an ultrasound machine, which he currently urgently needs due to the breakdown of his previous machine.

Resources:

Read the study here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-38025-9
Paper summary on abortion pill reversal: https://sammutlab.com/abortion-pill-reversal/
Dr. Sammut's website: www.SammutLab.com
Contact Dr. Sammut: https://sammutlab.com/contact/ 
Support Dr. Sammut's research here: https://sammutlab.com/donate/

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Former Planned Parenthood clinic director turned whistleblower Mayra Rodriguez shares her story and offers insights based on her experience working inside the abortion industry.

Mayra Rodriguez is a pro-life advocate, speaker, and whistleblower against the abortion giant Planned Parenthood. Before becoming pro-life, Mayra worked for 17 years at Planned Parenthood, rising to the position of managing 3 of their clinics in Arizona, and winning the organization’s 2016 Employee of the Year award. During her time at Planned Parenthood, Mayra witnessed critical safety and health-related violations, which she will tell us about today. Mayra’s reports of these incidents were met with harassment, hostility, and eventually termination. She won a wrongful termination lawsuit against her former employer and was awarded three million dollars in damages. 

Resources:
https://abortionworker.com/2020-10-05-abortion-industry-quitter-of-the-month-mayra-rodriguez/ 
https://abortionworker.com/

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In this "reverse interview", Monica Snyder of Secular Pro-Life discusses common questions that patients and pro-life advocates have for pro-life OB-GYNs with AAPLOG CEO and board-certified OB-GYN Dr. Christina Francis.

Monica Snyder is the Executive Director of Secular Pro-Life. Secular Pro-Life is a nonprofit organization committed to advancing secular arguments against abortion, creating a pro-life space for nonreligious people, and building interfaith coalitions of people interested in advancing secular arguments. Monica has degrees in chemical biology and forensic science; she started volunteering for Secular Pro-Life in 2009 and became its Executive Director in 2021. As the head of SPL, she maintains the organization’s strong social online presence, advancing pro-life arguments on social media and publishing robust resources on the organization’s blog.

Resources:
Secular Pro-Life's website: https://secularprolife.org/

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Board-certified neonatologist Dr. Robin Pierucci discusses her approach to caring for babies born at the cusp of viability, and their families.

Dr. Pierucci is a full-time neonatologist practicing in Michigan. In addition to full time clinical duties, she is also the medical director of a level three 50 bed NICU. She has a Master’s degree in bioethics, and has also completed the National Catholic Bioethics Center certificate program. This background dovetails with her research, publications, and ongoing involvement in multiple performance improvement projects, including neonatal palliative care, and care for infants affected by in utero drug exposure. She is an associate scholar with the Charlotte Lozier Institute and board member of the American College of Pediatricians (ACPeds) where she is also the chair of their pro-life council. 

Resources:

• From the Charlotte Lozier Institute
• Be Not Afraid

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Michaelene Fredenburg, LHD discusses the Institute of Reproductive Grief Care's new training program for emergency department staff on how to care for patients facing pregnancy loss.

Dr. Fredenburg is one of the world’s foremost experts on pregnancy loss and reproductive grief care. She serves on the editorial board of Newborn, the official journal of the Global Newborn Society, which publishes research related to neonatology. She founded the Institute in 2008, establishing it firmly at the forefront of creating impartial and impactful research to understand the way individuals process reproductive losses, and to establish global standards for offering compassionate care. Dr. Fredenburg is the author of Changed 2nd Edition: Making Sense of Your Own or A Loved One’s Abortion Experience, as well as Hope after Loss and Grief & Abortion: Creating a Safe Place to Heal. She received her Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris clausa, from Divine Mercy University.

Resources:

ReproductiveGrief.org 

Emergency Department Program 

Reproductive Grief Care Course 

MiscarriageHurts.org 

YourAbortionExperience.org 

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Michaelene Fredenburg, LHD discusses how physicians can best deliver news of pregnancy loss to patients and help them navigate their grief in real time.

Dr. Fredenburg is one of the world’s foremost experts on pregnancy loss and reproductive grief care. She serves on the editorial board of Newborn, the official journal of the Global Newborn Society, which publishes research related to neonatology. She founded the Institute in 2008, establishing it firmly at the forefront of creating impartial and impactful research to understand the way individuals process reproductive losses, and to establish global standards for offering compassionate care. Dr. Fredenburg is the author of Changed 2nd Edition: Making Sense of Your Own or A Loved One’s Abortion Experience, as well as Hope after Loss and Grief & Abortion: Creating a Safe Place to Heal. She received her Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris clausa, from Divine Mercy University.

Resources:

ReproductiveGrief.org 

Emergency Department Program 

Reproductive Grief Care Course 

MiscarriageHurts.org 

YourAbortionExperience.org 

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In this brief "teaser", Myriam Diallo is joined by Season 2 co-hosts Dr. Christina Francis and Dr. Susan Bane to discuss the changes in the works for the next several months of the Caring for Both podcast.

If you haven't already, be sure to register for the Matthew Bulfin Education Conference by Tuesday, February 6 (www.aaplog.org/mbec2024).

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Chaney Gooley, national program manager for Her PLAN, discusses this program and how it allows pregnant women in crisis to get the support they need.

Chaney Gooley, is a provider support manager at Her PLAN (Her Pregnancy and Life Assistance Network), which facilitates collaboration between assistance providers and their communities to empower women and families through comprehensive medical, social, and material support. She previously worked for Divine Mercy Care, where she helped Dr. John Bruchalski (a longtime AAPLOG member) and was on the board of the Healing Center International, a contemplative discipleship ministry. Chaney joined the Susan B. Anthony List in 2019 to help with the new Her PLAN project. She is a graduate of the University of Virginia, majoring in Architectural History and Sociology. Chaney is also the Co-Author of Pathways to Life, a guide for churches to help pregnant and parenting moms in need. She is passionate about forming life-affirming communities, exploring innovative ideas, and making strategic connections. 

Resources from this episode:

• Home - Her PLAN
• Join Her PLAN's directory

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