From the dangerous realities of America's maternal healthcare system to the surprising origins of the anti-abortion movement, this episode with Halley Kim exposes truths about women's health that demand our attention.

Halley brings a uniquely powerful perspective as a former evangelical pastor's wife, registered nurse, doula, and lactation consultant who has witnessed firsthand the dangers women face during pregnancy and childbirth. Her harrowing account of watching a doula client die in the immediate postpartum period illustrates what statistics confirm: America has the worst maternal mortality rate among all developed nations despite spending the most on healthcare, with Black women facing 3-5 times higher risk than white women.

The conversation examines how current abortion bans are creating deadly situations for women with pregnancy complications, including cases where women are being criminalized for miscarriages. "Women are not being believed," Mia notes, referencing how even tennis star Serena Williams nearly died in childbirth because medical professionals dismissed her concerns—a problem that affects women of color at alarming rates.

Most eye-opening is the revelation about the strategic adoption of abortion as a political cause. As Halley explains, evangelical Christians didn't always focus on abortion until the "moral majority" needed a more palatable issue than opposing school desegregation. "It was never about abortion for the moral majority," she reveals. "It was about white supremacy." This historical context helps explain the disconnect between professed "pro-life" values and policies that endanger women's lives.

Despite the gravity of these topics, the episode offers pathways for hope and action. From supporting mutual aid networks to engaging in local politics and raising socially conscious children, Halley and Mia emphasize that individual actions matter. As fascism threatens democratic principles and Project 2025 looms, they remind listeners that staying informed and engaged is not optional—it's essential for protecting human rights.

Follow Halley @maybe_gods_a_midwife on Instagram for more insights on women's health, religious deconstruction, and social justice. This conversation represents the start of an important series you won't want to miss.

More about Halley:

Halley Kim is a writer and freelance editor in St. Louis, MO. Sheʼs also a former evangelical pastorʼs wife turned leftist heretic. In her nursing career she worked primarily with mothers and babies, also taking on the roles of doula, lactation consultant, midwifeʼs assistant, and educator. Halley spent a stint working in pastoral ministry herself within a progressive denomination (United Church of Christ). Halley is currently writing a book about power dynamics and Christianity, where she argues that a power-WITH God, such as a midwife, would have a dramatically more positive effect on society than the power-OVER God weʼve inherited. She and her husband Simon have three children, Gabriel, Phoebe, and Tabitha, and one fur-baby, Bruno. You can access her work on Instagram @maybe_gods_a_midwife or on Substack @halleywkim

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