This is me!
Who am I?
My name is Chloe Kaplan. I'm a second-year Microbiology pre-medical student at the University of Alabama with plans to graduate in three years and pursue a master's degree in Population Health Sciences. I am also a Randall Research Scholar and McCollough Pre-Medical Scholar, both of which are interdisciplinary scholarship programs within the UA Honors College.
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Where am I from, and what am I doing here?
I was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri as an only child. I have always found pregnancy and fetal development fascinating, and in my senior year of high school I conducted a capstone research study as a part of my school's four year biomedical sciences track that examined menstrual disorders in adolescents.
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In college, I joined a Medical Anthropology research lab under Dr. Holly Horan examining perinatal health in Alabama and started an additional project examining menstrual health in Alabama under the direction of Dr. Sharlene Newman. Through these research labs, the McCollough program, and my experiences in Alabama the past two years, I have developed a love for rural medicine and a passion for reducing health disparities in Alabama's vulnerable communities.
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Why am I writing?
I believe that change begins with not only awareness of the relevant issues, but also an assets-based approach to solving them. That is, we must examine how we can utilize the strengths of a community to further their development from within.
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This blog is an exploration of some of the most pressing issues in reproductive health in Alabama. In particular, I seek to write pieces for a variety of age groups and stakeholders that are nonpartisan, informative, and interesting. I hope that you will enjoy my content, whether you are a young person, a parent, an educator, legislator, or anyone at all! Please email me with any suggestions or feedback at crkaplan1@crimson.ua.edu.
It's just the facts.
Alabama faces some of the worst maternal and infant mortality statistics in the nation, and as hospitals become more centralized, rural maternal care and overall healthcare are becoming more difficult to access. However, organizations across the state are making great strides to improve the health of women on many fronts. With new legislation always around the corner and an increasingly polarized atmosphere surrounding women's health, there is a greater need than ever for a solutions-oriented, deliberative space to discuss Alabama's next steps towards a more equitable future. I hope to fill this need by providing unbiased reproductive health news and information for all generations.