Scared about how women’s health could further deteriorate under Trump? You’re not alone

By Lisa Marie Basile | Fact-checked by Barbara Bekiesz

Published March 5, 2025

Key Takeaways

Industry Buzz

“Many women these days are scared when coming to see their doctors. They are scared about ways the latest changes in law may impact their health, autonomy, and future. And many healthcare providers are scared, too.” — Lauren A. Tetenbaum, LCSW, JD, PMH-C, advocate and therapist who specializes in perinatal and perimenopausal health
“MDs in red states in particular who want to protect women's health should reach out to their elected officials to express concern. Advocate for women's health by sharing their view from patient care. The best way to do this is with organized Hill visits or phone calls to your legislative offices—not just emails.” — Becky Ofrane, MD, doula and assistant professor of public health at Montclair State University

Find more of your peers' perspectives and insights below.

The reproductive health landscape has changed drastically since President Donald Trump took office.

Consider reproductive rights: The new head of the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., has historically waffled on his stance on abortion, but was recently quoted as saying abortions are a “tragedy” and that he supports state-by-state choices to ban or permit abortion.^[]

But the Trump administration isn’t just letting the states choose. In January 2025, it was reported that they plan to sign onto an international anti-abortion pact (with countries like Uganda, Saudi Arabia, and Belarus), which aims to curtail abortion access worldwide.^[]

The new administration has also removed educational guidelines used by practitioners and patients alike. The website reproductiverights.gov—a site launched in 2022 by the HHS—was taken offline,^[] and several contraceptive guidance pages on the CDC website went dark, leaving physicians scrambling for information and feeling unsettled.^[]^[]

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How to protect your patients

To help protect and support their patients, Becky Ofrane, MD, doula and assistant professor of public health at Montclair State University, says that a good starting point for healthcare providers is to remain on top of their state’s current reproductive health rights, along with the services of their local Title X family planning organizations.

Beyond provider-to-patient care, physicians should “advocate as private individuals for the issues you care about,” Dr. Ofrane tells MDLinx. “MDs in red states in particular who want to protect women's health should reach out to their elected officials to express concern. Advocate for women's health by sharing their view from patient care. The best way to do this is with organized Hill visits or phone calls to your legislative offices—not just emails.”

'We're all scared'

Lauren A. Tetenbaum, LCSW, JD, PMH-C, an advocate and therapist who specializes in perinatal and perimenopausal health, says fear is pervasive right now. “Many women these days are scared when coming to see their doctors. They are scared about ways the latest changes in law may impact their health, autonomy, and future. And many healthcare providers are scared, too.”

Providers can tackle these challenges by making space for patients’ feelings and fears and “acknowledging that the changes in laws can lead to fear or confusion,” she says.

Providers can also make “referrals to therapists who specialize in women's health and can provide designated time to process emotions about all this,” she advises. For MDs who are unable to provide care, they can refer patients to resources like Hey Jane, which provides safe, private care to patients.

“Just saying something simple like, 'I know this is a lot right now, and I want to help however I can,' can make a patient feel seen, heard, and less alone. The value of that is immeasurable,” Tetenbaum says. Tetenbaum adds that healthcare providers can’t shoulder this burden all on their own either. “When you're not with patients, get the emotional support you need, too.”