This week we’d like to take you behind the scenes to learn more about our Research Data Analyst, Leslie Serrano. Leslie has been with the center for nearly two years and she is helping the Center conduct research that directly impacts law and policy.  

Leslie’s in-progress work focuses on studying medication abortion access, contraception access, the impact of abortion policy on the healthcare workforce. This week, we sat down to learn more about what drives her and the work she’s tackling next.  

Interviewee:  Leslie Serrano, CRHLP Research Data Analyst

Interviewer: Kelsey Padilla, Program & Communication Coordinator

Q: Can you share a bit about your journey to the Center and what brought you to this work? 

A: I have been passionate about reproductive health and rights since high school, where I joined clubs to promote reproductive health access and education, and my work and passion continued through undergrad and then as a Master's in Public Health student at Emory. In graduate school I had the opportunity to work on community-led research projects with SisterLove, Inc. These projects’ goals were to improve access to sexual and reproductive health resources and people’s knowledge on medication abortion. As I was about to graduate from my MPH, I found this position and was so excited when I got to join the team. I appreciated the Center's focus on bridging scholarship with action and knew I wanted to be part of an interdisciplinary team working to advance reproductive justice.

Q: What are some key projects or initiatives you’re currently focused on? 

A: Currently, I’m finishing a research report on the workforce impacts of abortion bans. Specifically, a project where we’re investigating the impact of state abortion policies on third- and fourth-year OB-GYN residents. I am working on projects related to direct access to reproductive health care and medications in pharmacies without a doctor’s visit needed. I’m particularly proud of is my work as part of the Center’s team working with the Maternal Infant Cash Coalition (MICC) to scale up research capacity, conduct a pilot study, and create evaluation resources for future direct cash programs aimed at pregnant people and new parents. My work at the Center has included Anti-Abortion Centers in California in 2023: Number, State Licensure, Location, where we analyzed 161 anti-abortion centers in California, examining their geographic distribution, licensing status, and false and biased medical claim practices. While regulating these centers remains challenging, this study serves to educate the public on their deceptive practices. I also worked on False Medical Claims Online and Demographics of Contraceptive Method Use in California, 2020, which provided a much-needed snapshot of contraceptive use trends across demographic groups, filling a gap in recent research. I also work on our monthly research newsletter, which summarizes new research articles/reports, and mentor and speak with undergraduate and graduate students working toward future careers in public health.   

Q: In a time of uncertainty, what’s giving you hope and energy in this moment? 

A: Speaking with other folks in the movement helps me stay hopeful, especially those who are providing direct services to our community members. In terms of keeping up my energy/not getting burnt out, I like to do activities that fill my cup like pilates, reading, and hanging out with my friends.

This month, the Center released a new policy brief highlighting the growing momentum for a transformative approach: Unconditional Cash Transfers (UCTs) for Pregnant and Newly Parenting People. The brief can be accessed here.  

Economic instability is one of the greatest barriers to reproductive autonomy, maternal health, and family well-being. UCT programs provide direct, no-strings-attached financial support, addressing the structural inequities that disproportionately impact Black, Indigenous, Latina, and low-income parents.  Across the country, states, counties, and cities are implementing UCT programs specifically for pregnant and newly parenting people, and early research shows promising outcomes for health and well-being.  Yet, UCTs are not yet often part of reproductive justice and maternal health policy solution discussions. Now, there is a growing coalition of these UCT programs and the researchers who study them – the Mother Infant Cash Coalition – that has come together to help document the impacts of UCT programs and help scale up public investment and make them sustainable. We will be hosting a webinar on the topic on March 14th, which you can register for here and find more information about below. 

This week, Senior Staff Attorney Amanda Barrow was featured in The American Prospect discussing the escalating legal battle over abortion access between New York, Texas, and Louisiana. As Amanda explains, “It’s really not the case that the [Dobbs] decision has left each state to its own devices, [Texas and Louisiana] are taking aggressive attempts to police not only citizens and residents within their own borders, but to influence the conduct outside their own state.” The article highlights these attempts by Texas and Louisiana, the protections offered by state shield laws, and the potential nationwide impact of these legal battles—including the looming threat of the new federal administration attempting to enforce the dead-letter Comstock Act in ways never intended.  
 
Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gFVKpZ4x and check out our resource, Shield Laws for Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Health Care: A State Law Guide to review each state's shield laws here:  https://lnkd.in/gKPZkdJV, and our election guide to understand how the Comstock Act could be used to enforce a national abortion ban: https://lnkd.in/g4RWPxC6 

Register now for the second webinar in our pharmacist-prescribed contraception series, Insurance and Medicaid Coverage, Reimbursement, and Billing for Pharmacist-Prescribed Contraception happening on March 3rd at 12 PM PT. This webinar moderated discussion that will explore the evolving role of pharmacists in expanding access to contraception, with insights from leaders in Arkansas and Washington

Join CRHLP for a thought-provoking public panel in partnership with Yale Law School’s Program for the Study of Reproductive Justice and Temple University Beasley School of Law, Resistance and Reimagining: Perspectives on Reproductive and Gender Justice from the Academy, Advocacy, and Public Service. Register now to attend in person or virtually: https://bit.ly/March6thRSVP 

On March 14th, CRHLP, in collaboration with the Mother/Infant Cash Coalition, will be hosting a moderated discussion to highlight the promise of unconditional cash programs for pregnant people and new parents as a promising and growing reproductive justice policy intervention. Register now to join us: https://bit.ly/UTCWebinar 

Photo Credit: American Heart Association

ProPublica has released an in-depth data analysis which found that after Texas banned abortion in 2021, pregnancy-related sepsis rates increased by over 50% among women hospitalized for second-trimester pregnancy loss. The increase was especially pronounced when the fetus still had a heartbeat, leading to life-threatening delays in care. Maternal hospital deaths also rose sharply in Texas, according to ProPublica findings, even as they declined nationwide. Experts attribute these trends to legal restrictions that prevent doctors from providing timely care, forcing patients to wait until their condition deteriorates. More research is needed to know if similar patterns are occurring in other abortion ban states. 

Photo credit: Soumyabrata Roy/NurPhoto via Getty Images

The Guttmacher Institute published a new state-level data set focused on medication abortion. The data emphasizes medication abortion’s role as a critical component of abortion care across the US. In 2023, medication abortion accounted for 63% of all clinician-provided abortions in states without total bans, with rates as high as 95% in Wyoming and 84% in Montana. The study also found that 10% of abortions in these states were provided by online-only clinics, highlighting the role of telemedicine in expanding access.  

Photo Credit: SAM HOYLE / MTN NEWS

Montana lawmakers are considering a bill that would criminalize helping someone obtain an abortion in the state, framing it as “abortion trafficking.” Unlike similar enacted laws in Idaho and Tennessee, which target those assisting minors, Montana’s bill defines the fetus as a trafficked child and would impose penalties on all pregnant people who travel out of state for abortion care. The measure is novel and builds on strategies advanced by conservative activists seeking to restrict abortion-related travel and reinforce fetal personhood. To read more about how the concept of fetal personhood may be used to advance a national abortion ban, read our election explainer here.

Photo credit: Adam Fagan

This week, the Supreme Court declined to hear two cases from anti-abortion activists challenging laws restricting demonstrations near clinics, arguing the measures violate their First Amendment rights. The plaintiffs challenging the laws cited a 2014 ruling that struck down 35-foot buffer zones in Massachusetts, while the cities pointed to a 2000 precedent allowing similar restrictions.  As is common when the Court declines to review a case, the majority of Justices provided no explanation. The Court’s rejection of these cases means that the cities’ laws protecting the safety of clinic patients and staff can remain in place for now.  

With so much going on in the world of reproductive health, law, and policy, every week we'll share articles, books, and media you might have missed. 

‘I Felt Like a Human Again’: A Guaranteed Income Program Transformed This Mississippi Mom’s Life 

Beyond abortion: A timeline of reproductive health care and the true impact on women and society 

Six Months After Iowa Abortion Ban, Crisis of Care Spreading Across Midwest 

Federal law protects emergency abortions. Will Trump keep that policy? 

Reimagining the future of reproductive health, law, and policy.

UCLA Center on Reproductive Health, Law, and Policy is a think tank and research center created to develop long-term, lasting solutions that advance all aspects of reproductive justice, and address the current national crisis of abortion access.