Activation Awareness: This episode discusses serious pregnancy complications and the dismissal of women's health concerns. In this week's episode of The Present Illness, Drs. Arghavan and Alyssa deliver a stat consultation on two viral stories about Black women receiving substandard obstetric care. With surgical precision, they dissect the case of Karrie Jones at Dallas Regional Medical Center, who was kept in a wheelchair for admitting questions while in active labor, and Mercedes Wells, who...

Viral Cases of Neglect in Black Maternal Care

Systemic Issues in Maternal Health Outcomes

The Intersection of Abortion Laws and Maternal Mortality

Criminalization of Miscarriages and Pregnancy

Taking Action Against Legislative Changes

The Atlantic Lost Its Fact Checkers

Society’s running a fever, and two sharp-witted physicians are on the case. Surgeon-scientist Arghavan Salles dives into social media’s wildest trends, while anesthesiologist-bioethicist Alyssa Burgart follows news and legal cases for their ethical twists. Together, they examine the cultural, political, and public health symptoms of our time with scalpel-sharp analysis, unflinching questions, and enough humor to keep us all going.