Throughline Embedded: The Network
Jul 29, 2025
In the mid-1980s, Brazilian women discovered a safe way to have abortions at home, significantly reducing mortality rates. This grassroots movement has inspired similar networks worldwide, highlighting the role of midwives and community support. The podcast delves into the maternal health crisis in Brazil, revealing heartbreaking stories linked to restrictive laws and unsafe procedures. It also discusses the life-saving impact of Cytotec, emphasizing its role in women's empowerment and the ongoing struggle for reproductive rights across the globe.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Impact of Abortion Bans in Brazil
- Strict abortion bans do not prevent abortions; they drive women to unsafe, risky methods.
- Unsafe abortions led to high maternal mortality and harsh treatment of women seeking care in Brazil’s 1980s hospitals.
Tragic Case from Unsafe Abortion
- A 19-year-old woman with two children died from infection after a botched illegal abortion.
- Her case shocked Dr. Rivaldo Albuquerque, who saw many women die because they were poor and black.
Women Punished Post-Abortion
- Women who had unsafe abortions were mistreated in hospitals, facing neglect, punishment, and sometimes being handcuffed or arrested.
- Dr. Rivaldo’s hospital avoided arrests, but many others punished these vulnerable women harshly.