Voices from the Frontlines: Dr. Chelsea Daniels, Family Physician & Abortion Provider in Florida (Part 2)

SPOTLIGHT ON ABORTION CARE & REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE

Below is Part 2 of an interview with Dr. Chelsea Daniels, a Family Medicine doctor and abortion provider in Florida. Before we get started, I just want to say what an honor it was to have Dr. Daniels in this space. As a future abortion provider myself, like many of our readers, it is so important to hear from current providers and to connect with and support each other, especially during these challenging and frankly terrifying times in reproductive healthcare. (Read Part 1 here)

Anna: That is just devastating. We know abortion bans take away a patient’s autonomy, but even more heartbreaking. 

Dr. Daniels: Exactly. Also, I’m not a lawyer or a hospital administrator, and yet these laws force doctors to be. In any given patient situation, I know what’s medically and clinically indicated, but if the law is telling me I can’t do that, I have to call the legal team and the administrators to figure out how I can get my patients the care they need.

Anna: What an impossible task. It’s terrifying. And especially if you, as a provider, are a person that could be pregnant, you don’t want to live in a state where it’s difficult, if not impossible, to get care yourself. 

Dr. Daniels: I think about this all the time as someone who can become pregnant. What if my birth control fails? What if I have a complication in a pregnancy? Florida is a scary place to be a pregnant person.

Anna: Have you noticed any shifts in the public attitudes or perceptions towards abortion in Florida since these bans have taken place?

Dr. Daniels: Absolutely. This November, we have Amendment 4 on the ballot, which is essentially limiting government interference in the exam room. I think that the post-Dobbs world has galvanized a lot of local communities to fight for this right back. 

Anna: Do you have any safety concerns for yourself, your colleagues, and patients? How do you navigate that?

Dr. Daniels: Sadly, I think that safety is always a concern. I think every provider navigates safety a little bit differently. Some people will drive rental cars to work so that their plates can’t be traced. Some people won’t wear scrubs into work so they don’t look like a provider. I know some of my colleagues have had protesters take pictures of their license plates. So, safety is a very, very real concern. And we do have safety measures once you get in the building – you have to identify yourself and be buzzed in, and some of our clinics have bullet proof glass and security guards. Probably above and beyond what you would see in another doctor’s office.

Anna: Do you find safety and support in reproductive advocacy communities? Throughout my journey in med school, I felt so much love, encouragement, and community in these amazing groups – and I wonder if they continue after training.  

Dr. Daniels: Oh, goodness absolutely. There are signal chats and whatsapp groups and email listservs to bounce clinical questions and safety concerns and patient social situations off each other all the time – it helps make the sometimes isolating experience of being an abortion provider in a hostile state feel less isolating.  

Anna: Is there anything else you would like to highlight? 

Dr. Daniels: Yes! For any Floridians reading this, vote Yes on 4 this November! 

I also think that there are probably a lot of people reading this wondering about how I feel in the repro space as a family doctor versus an OB/Gyn – I firmly believe that family doctors are uniquely qualified to be providing this kind of care. Abortions are so much more than a procedure that lasts four minutes or a set of pills to take at home. It’s whole-person care that necessitates considering so many social and political and economic factors – I feel so proud to be a family doctor doing this work, and I think we’re well-equipped to navigate the landscape. I think that a lot of med students might want to do this work and are worried that they won’t be able to do so without an OB/Gyn residency – I was worried about this myself! But it is totally possible, and in fact, we know that family doctors are critically important to reproductive health and family planning care in some of our most marginalized and vulnerable communities.

Anna: Yeah, I think we, as family medicine providers, have such a unique perspective to offer. Full-spectrum reproductive health should be easily incorporated into any visit by your family doctor/PCP.

And just to round it out, what brings you joy? 

Dr. Daniels: Definitely my cat, Roo. He is the best. He brings me so much joy. I feel like any fellow cat lover knows how much joy cats bring. I am also a big reader. I read about a book a week. That brings me a lot of joy, and it also helps me unwind after a really hard day. I also love to travel. I travel way too much, both for work and for pleasure – I’m in and out of the Miami airport like twice a month. If I could bring my cat, then it would be the perfect vacation. 

Anna: As a cat mother myself, I completely understand that! Thank you so much for taking the time to talk with us, Dr. Daniels. It was a pleasure having you. 

Dr. Daniels: Thank you so much for having me!

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Read another Voices from the Frontlines interview by Anna:
Loretta Ross Unveils the Roots and Calls in the Future of Reproductive Justice

*Note: excerpts of this Spotlight are included in AMSA Reproductive Health Project eNews #23 & 24.
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